From Kerala to Galle: Padikkal sails into Test history

By K.R. Nayar

Devdutt Padikkal’s roots are in Kerala, the southern state of India that lies close to Sri Lanka. To score his maiden Test century at the Galle International Stadium in Sri Lanka makes the occasion all the more special.

Born in Edappal in Malappuram district, a place known as the birthplace of renowned Malayalam film actor Sukumaran and brilliant writer P. Surendran, Padikkal has now been added as a new celebrity to that list. His bat announced that Edappal has produced another name that India will remember.

Padikkal’s maiden Test century will be remembered for a long time for various reasons. Indian fans will be thrilled to celebrate his century on the 80th Independence Day of his country. His century has come in India’s 600th Test match. This knock also comes after his unbeaten 142 in the tour match against Sri Lanka Cricket XI, which ensured his place in the playing eleven and the No. 1 batting slot.

For every cricketer, their maiden Test century is a milestone. Some become memories. Padikkal’s ton will be a lovely memory. He has given the Indian dressing room a reason to feel confident. The first day of a Test match and a Test series needs such a boost.

Kerala is India’s gateway to the Arabian Sea, while Sri Lanka lies just across the waters from its southern shores. Padikkal’s journey from Edappal to Galle via Bengaluru, where he shaped his career, is therefore more than a cricketing journey. It is a beautiful reminder of how talent can travel beyond boundaries, sail across the ocean and turn dreams into history.

A maiden Test century is never just about three figures. It is a reflection of patience, perseverance, self-belief and the courage to wait for the right moment. A century always comes from the bat, but long before he achieved it, he had travelled well through domestic cricket and the Indian Premier League. He had to wait for his opportunity. When it arrived, he grabbed it with both hands. 

Paddikal is playing only his third Test match. On his debut, he had hit 65 against England, and in his second Test, he scored 25 against Australia. After these two knocks in 2024, he had to wait till 2026 for this Test match opportunity. This is how great careers are built. When opportunities come, grab them and keep scoring consistently.

The battle for a slot in the Indian team is such that form may open the door, but it is the temperament that Padikkal showed that will keep a player in the team.

For Padikkal, scoring a maiden Test hundred overseas, and that too in Test cricket, carries enormous significance. As it is always said, Test cricket tests not only technique but also temperament. To be successful, one needs a different kind of character. The ability to kill impatience, embrace uncertainty and remain hungry for runs is a must.

Padikkal showed that hunger and proved that the biggest innings of his career can be played at any time, maybe not on debut but within three Test matches. He must have been delighted to be in the playing XI, but more than that, he was given the honour of batting at the No. 1 slot – a position in which many greats have shown their calibre. Padikkal turning that opportunity into a hundred is indeed remarkable.

Like his century, the 600th Test for India is not just a number. It is a journey of Indian cricket through many generations. Over the years, many great cricketers wearing the India Test cap have written the colourful pages of Indian Test cricket. Padikkal has now etched his name into that remarkable history.

His century is therefore not merely Padikkal’s hundred. It is a small but significant chapter in the enormous story of Indian Test cricket. Becoming a Test centurion is special. Padikkal knows that the road ahead will not always be smooth. There will be failures, difficult days, selection questions and periods when runs refuse to come. A first Test century provides something priceless — belief. It could be the beginning of something much bigger. 

Right now, Padikkal has done it at Galle, where the sea watches cricket against one of the most beautiful backdrops in the world. The waves will keep rolling, the sea will keep shinning, Indian cricket fans will love to witness many more innings from this youngster who has the nickname DDP.