Former Indian keeper-batter and commentator Deep Dasgupta has heaped praise on India’s No.3 batter Devdutt Padikkal, who scored an exceptional 167-run knock off 230 balls in the ongoing first Test against Sri Lanka in Galle.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Deep Dasgupta has asserted that Padikkal hasn’t fixed his position at No.3 yet, adding that he needs to show consistency during the two-match series in Sri Lanka to decide on the No.3 slot.
“Sai has done well on and off at that number three spot. That slot is very crucial, and you need a fixed player there. I wouldn’t say his (Padikkal) position is fixed after the hundred, but to a large extent it has given you confidence. The wheel has kept on turning. Sai came in his place, but now he is injured, and Padikkal is back. Padikkal read the lengths well, and a massive change in his game has been his footwork, especially in the last 6-7 months. He looks like an improved batter,” Deep Dasgupta said in a video on his YouTube channel.
With India touring New Zealand in November this year, the former keeper felt that it would be interesting to see which batter gets the No.3 slot. Notably, Sai Sudharsan is currently nursing an injury at the BCCI CoE in Bengaluru.
“It is very interesting. The way I see it, Padikkal will bat in this series, no question there. The question comes after this. After this, there is a Test series in November in New Zealand. If his performance is good here, Devdutt also deserves a long rope like Sudharsan then. If he is batting well, it seems like it will be a healthy competition. If he is scoring runs, it does not mean Sudharsan will be out of the scene. For now, Padikkal looked like he was batting with ease, looked solid, and he has given a very good account of himself,” he added.
