New Delhi, August 20: Former Sri Lankan cricketer Russell Arnold has lauded Devdutt Padikkal for his pivotal role in India’s victory during the Galle Test match.
He also praised Manav Suthar’s patience.
After Sai Sudharsan’s exit from the series, Padikkal stepped up to bat at number three in the first Test, delivering an outstanding performance. He scored a remarkable 167 runs, helping the Indian team tighten its grip over Sri Lanka. The Karnataka batsman also contributed significantly in the second innings with a crucial 44 runs.
During a virtual event hosted by Sony Sports Network, Arnold stated, “Padikkal looks to be in great rhythm. He knows what he needs to do. He effectively utilizes his strengths-his reach and footwork-playing on slow pitches and conditions is truly an art. It may seem easy, but not everyone can score runs.”
He further added, “As you would have seen throughout the Test match, the other players struggled. Most found it challenging, and the way he is playing with confidence across all formats, I believe Padikkal has seized this opportunity at the right time to capitalize on his form. He has shown a lot of class and quality, and I think India can expect a lot from him.”
While Padikkal laid the foundation for India’s victory with his batting, Manav Suthar excelled with his spinning deliveries. Suthar took 4 wickets in the first innings and 6 in the second, forcing the Sri Lankan batting order to yield. Arnold compared Suthar’s composed patience to that of Sri Lanka’s legendary spinner Rangana Herath.
He remarked, “On the other hand, Suthar is very straightforward; he is a pleasure to watch, and I think that is his strength-being simple and patient. On Sri Lankan pitches, we often emphasize the need for natural variation. Of course, some spinners possess immense skill, like Muralitharan or Warne. However, those who have performed well have kept it simple and maintained patience. Rangana Herath is the best example of this, and Suthar seems to be doing just that.”
The former Sri Lankan cricketer continued, “Stepping onto the field, just altering his pace and the way he releases the ball-it was all about that. So, it was great to see both of them. Suthar’s patience has propelled him forward, and maintaining such patience is challenging.”
With Ravichandran Ashwin’s retirement and Jadeja nearing the end of his career, along with Cheteshwar Pujara’s departure, India has been searching for a number three batsman for a long time. Thus, the emergence of Padikkal and Suthar is promising news for the Test team.