If he scores runs in New Zealand, India's No. 3 problem would be solved, says Cheteshwar Pujara

Devdutt Padikkal scored his maiden Test century for India on August 15, 2026, batting at number three against Sri Lanka at Galle International Stadium. The left-handed batter remained unbeaten on 131 off 178 balls, reaching his century in 134 deliveries. This achievement marked a significant milestone in Padikkal's Test career and drew attention to India's search for a consistent performer in the middle order.

Cheteshwar Pujara, the former India Test batter, assessed Padikkal's performance on Sony Sports and highlighted its importance for the team's future planning. Pujara acknowledged the difficulty of scoring a century even in favourable conditions and recognised the pressure that comes with batting at number three in Test cricket.

"You can judge a player slightly more based on how he bats in overseas conditions. These conditions were definitely easy. I wouldn't want to take the credit away from him at all because it's difficult to score a hundred even if the conditions are easy. The first century is extremely special," Pujara said on Sony Sports.

What Pujara said about Padikkal's performance?

Padikkal's achievement carried historical significance. He became the first left-handed batter since Sourav Ganguly in 2002 to score a Test hundred at number three for India, underlining the rarity of such performances from left-handers in that position for the team.

Pujara credited Padikkal's improvement to sustained hard work over an extended period. The former batter noted that the pressure of performing in Test cricket at number three was significant, yet Padikkal had managed to deliver under those circumstances.

"It was an excellent performance. The pressure is definitely there, no matter how good a form a batter might be coming in with. When he got this chance to bat at No. 3 in Test cricket, there was pressure on him to perform, and he showed that by doing it," Pujara said.

The challenge ahead in New Zealand

Pujara stressed that Padikkal's next challenge would come in New Zealand, where conditions differ significantly from those in Sri Lanka. The former India batter linked Padikkal's performance in that series to India's ongoing search for a reliable number three batsman.

"So this is extremely crucial for his career, but it will be a different challenge for him in New Zealand. If he scores runs there, the slight No. 3 problem India has would be solved. However, given the way he has improved his game, we would want to see him getting a slightly longer run," Pujara said.

Pujara emphasised that Padikkal's century was the result of dedicated preparation and technical refinement. The former India batter highlighted the importance of recognising the work behind such performances rather than attributing success solely to match conditions.

"We are all praising his performance, but the hard work he has put in behind it to bring the improvement that was required in his batting, this is the result of that. The reason for the performance is that he has worked a lot in the last one to one-and-a-half years," Pujara said.

Padikkal's century came at a time when India had been seeking a permanent solution to the number three position. Since Pujara's retirement from Test cricket, the team had struggled to establish consistency at that spot. Shubman Gill was the last Indian to score a Test century at number three, achieving this feat against Bangladesh in Chennai in September 2024.