Devdutt Padikkal: Has India Finally Found Rahul Dravid's Successor at No. 3?

Devdutt Padikkal's century against Sri Lanka has reignited the debate over India's No. 3 spot. Can he follow Rahul Dravid and Cheteshwar Pujara?

Devdutt Padikkal century against Sri Lanka (Image Source: Google)

There was a time when India's No. 3 position in Test cricket was almost taken for granted. Rahul Dravid made it his own and turned it into one of the most dependable positions in the Indian batting order. When Dravid retired, Cheteshwar Pujara stepped into his shoes and carried the responsibility for more than a decade.

Today, India is again looking for the successor to that tradition. And after Devdutt Padikkal's magnificent century in Galle, the question is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore: has India finally found the man who can make No. 3 his own?

Padikkal's 167 against Sri Lanka was far more than a maiden Test century. It was a statement. Drafted into the XI after Sai Sudharsan was ruled out through injury, Padikkal grabbed the opportunity with both hands. He followed his first-innings 167 with a fluent 44 in the second innings and was named Player of the Match as India won the Test by 165 runs.

The timing was particularly significant. Padikkal reached his hundred on August 15, India's Independence Day, and became only the second Indian left-hander in the 21st century to score a Test century at No. 3, after Sourav Ganguly. His performance has also put him in an elite group of Indian No. 3 batsmen who have scored Test centuries overseas.

But before discussing Padikkal, it is worth remembering what the position meant to India.

Rahul Dravid was the batsman India trusted when an early wicket exposed the middle order. Dravid eventually scored 13,288 Test runs and 36 centuries, establishing himself as arguably India's greatest No. 3.

Cheteshwar Pujara was then regarded as Dravid's natural successor.

Pujara eventually played 103 Tests and scored 7,195 runs. His importance was not always reflected simply by his run tally. His ability to stay at the crease was outstanding. Statistical analysis showed that India scored more than 16,000 partnership runs while Pujara was at the crease, underlining how much stability he provided. That is the legacy Padikkal is now being asked to inherit.

Since Pujara's last Test in 2023, India has struggled to find a permanent No. 3. Several batsmen have been tried, with Shubman Gill himself taking the position for a period before becoming India's No. 4. Sai Sudharsan emerged as another serious candidate, while Devdutt Padikkal has also been given opportunities.

The experimentation even extended to Washington Sundar being promoted to No. 3 in a Test against South Africa. The fact that so many alternatives have been considered illustrates how unsettled the position has become.

Sudharsan certainly has a case. In 12 Test innings, he has scored 383 runs at an average of 31.91, with three fifties. Padikkal, however, has made an extraordinary impact in a much smaller sample: four innings, 236 runs at 59.16, including one century.

 

 

 

 

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A No. 3 batsman cannot be judged merely by whether he can score runs. He must handle the pressure of arriving early, negotiate the new ball when necessary and possess the temperament to bat for long periods. Padikkal's 167 ticked many of those boxes.

His numbers also carry historical significance. Since 2019, Indian No. 3 batsmen have scored only six centuries, three by Shubman Gill, two by Pujara and now one by Padikkal. Padikkal's century was the first by an Indian No. 3 away from home since December 2022 and only the second such instance in more than seven years since Pujara's memorable Sydney hundred in January 2019. And then there is the endorsement of Pujara himself.

The biggest danger now is that India repeats the same mistake that has prolonged the No. 3 debate, changing the batsman every time circumstances change.

Padikkal has had only four Test innings. One magnificent performance cannot guarantee a decade-long career. He will have to prove himself in England, Australia, South Africa and New Zealand, against high-quality pace and movement.

Pujara did not become Pujara overnight. Dravid did not become 'The Wall' in his first few matches. Both were allowed to establish themselves through sustained opportunities. Padikkal now deserves the same luxury.

India simply needs to give Devdutt Padikkal the opportunity to become the first Devdutt Padikkal. After years of searching, perhaps the best way forward is not to search anymore, but to back him.