Padikkal and Suthar provide hope for the future with stellar display

Padikkal and Suthar provide hope for the future with stellar display Updated – August 19, 2026 11: 13 pm IST – Galle.

Key points

• Among left-arm twirlers in the XI, one that had both Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav, Suthar left an indelible mark.
• The charge of the young brigade supported India defeat Sri Lanka in the first Test.
• Padikkal additionally registered a 44 in the second innings, vital runs when India hustled for a bigger lead.
• Ashwin having retired and Jadeja in his twilight phase, Suthar is perhaps the man to carry forward the great Indian spin tradition.
• Playing his third Test, Padikkal was projected to be both adhesive and aggressor at No.

Meanwhile, the charge of the young brigade supported India defeat Sri Lanka in the first Test. Devdutt Padikkal, 26, and Manav Suthar, 24, were the prime architects of this demographic bonus rippling with vitality.

Playing his third Test, Padikkal was projected to be both adhesive and aggressor at No. 3, besides living up to the legacy of the Karnataka school of batsmanship with its patrons being G.R. Viswanath and Rahul Dravid. His 167 in the first innings ensured that India never had to look back in this match.

He was decisive in his shot-selection, there was a fluidity to his run accumulation and it additionally assisted that Statemate K.L. Rahul was with him. When the two spoke regarding each other, both mentioned concerning understanding the other's tempo at the crease.

Southpaw Padikkal discovered a berth due to an injury side-lining Sai Sudharsan, but he grabbed his chance on a slow pitch while the weather remained hot and sultry despite the odd shower. Padikkal additionally registered a 44 in the second innings, vital runs when India hustled for a bigger lead.

If Padikkal laid the base, Suthar ensured that India's dreams did not vanish. A classical left-arm spinner with loop and drift, Suthar is a throwback to a gentler past. He can constrict the batters to their crease and additionally tease them to their doom. His four for 76 and six for 55 were the twin blows from which Sri Lanka never recovered. Suthar outshone his spin colleagues. Photo Credit: ANI.

Playing his second Test, Suthar belied no nerves. Among left-arm twirlers in the XI, one that had both Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav, Suthar left an indelible mark. That he can bat a bit is an continued bonus as the Indian Test outfit these days is saddled with a fragile tail.

With R. Ashwin having retired and Jadeja in his twilight phase, Suthar is perhaps the man to carry forward the great Indian spin tradition. For both Padikkal and Suthar, a tougher scrutiny would be the home Tests against the visiting Australians next year. But for now, there is the second Test at Colombo to accord with.

In short, padikkal and Suthar provide hope for the future with stellar display is the central thread here, and readers can expect follow-up reporting as the picture becomes clearer.