Former Indian batter Cheteshwar Pujara has reckoned that it’s too early to come to a conclusion on Devdutt Padikkal emerging as the long-term No.3 batter for Team India in the longest format of the game.
Speaking on Cricinfo, Pujara asserted that Padikkal needs to perform in New Zealand and the home series against Australia to cement his place in the playing XI. Notably, Padikkal scored 117 runs on Day 1 of the second Test against Sri Lanka in Colombo.
“Yes, he will be batting at No. 3 in New Zealand. But will he be the long-term No. 3 for India? That is a long way off. You don’t judge a player from a couple of Test matches. Yes, he has shown a lot of character and deserves a longer run at No. 3. India will play a couple of Test matches in New Zealand, and there is a five-match Test series against Australia in India,” Pujara told Cricinfo.
“If he consistently performs at No. 3 in both the series, then he will cement his place at No. 3. Let’s not put too much pressure on him,” he added.
It’s important to note that the Indian Test side will play two Tests in New Zealand in November and December before hosting Australia for five Tests in early 2027 for the Border Gavaskar Trophy.
It’s worth noting that Padikkal struggled for momentum in the early phase of his innings while he displayed good footwork and technique in the second phase of his innings. Pujara had his say on both phases of his innings.
“Maybe he was a little fatigued. The moment he walked into bat, it didn’t look like he’s a guy in form. He was struggling a bit early on, but after a couple of chances and batting for 40-50 deliveries, he found his rhythm. After that, the way he batted, it was just brilliant,” Pujara concluded.
