Padikkal and Suthar provide hope for the future with stellar display
Young cricketers Devdutt Padikkal and Manav Suthar delivered standout performances to help India secure a Test victory against Sri Lanka. Their contributions with the bat and ball, respectively, have been highlighted as promising signs for the future of the Indian national team.
Why it matters
The emergence of new talent is vital for the long-term success and transition of the Indian cricket team as veteran players retire.
The charge of the young brigade helped 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 expected 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 also helped that Statemate K.L. Rahul was with him. When the two spoke about each other, both mentioned about understanding the other’s tempo at the crease.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in