Why Devdutt Padikkal deserves a regular spot in India XI: 3 key reasons

Devdutt Padikkal has been on the fringes of India’s Test setup for some time, often making way for Sai Sudharsan at the No. 3 position. The left-handed Karnataka batter finally got his opportunity in the first Test against Sri Lanka at Galle, starting August 15, 2026, after Sudharsan was ruled out with a big-toe injury.

Padikkal responded with an unbeaten 131 off 178 balls on Day 1 at Galle, his maiden Test century. That knock has renewed the debate about whether he should be a regular name in India’s Test XI rather than a replacement option.

Here are three reasons why Devdutt Padikkal deserves to feature regularly in playing XI:

1. Sudharsan’s Test average does not justify continued preference

Sai Sudharsan averages 31.91 across seven Tests, with three fifties and no century to his name. Before the Afghanistan series, his figures were even lower, with 302 runs from six Tests at an average of 27.45. The India management, including captain Shubman Gill and head coach Gautam Gambhir, continued to back Sudharsan at No. 3 despite those modest returns and calls for Padikkal to be given a sustained run. A Test average in the low thirties, after seven matches, is not the kind of return that justifies holding on to a spot ahead of a batter who has been more productive at the domestic level.

2. Padikkal’s first-class record shows consistent red-ball form

Padikkal’s first-class record makes a strong case for his inclusion. Across 56 first-class matches, he has scored 3,800 runs at an average of 43.18. In the 2025-26 Ranji Trophy alone, he scored 543 runs in six matches at an average of 60.33, including a career-best 232 against Uttarakhand and an unbeaten 120 off 85 balls against Punjab. He also scored 67 and 94 in the India A versus Sri Lanka A multi-day series and followed that with an unbeaten 142 off 164 balls in the warm-up match against Sri Lanka Cricket XI in Colombo. That sequence of scores across formats and conditions reflects consistent red-ball form, not a one-off performance.

3. Positional flexibility gives Padikkal an added advantage

Padikkal offers India’s batting unit something Sudharsan does not provide to the same degree, positional flexibility. He is capable of batting as an opener, at No. 3, or at No. 4 depending on the team’s requirement. Sudharsan is primarily a top-order batter suited to No. 3. This additional flexibility means Padikkal can be accommodated in different combinations without disrupting the balance of the side. Against spin in Galle, he also showed a wider range of options, mixing charges down the wicket and sweeps with attacking play from deep inside the crease, which adds further value on subcontinental pitches.