Devdutt Padikkal’s 167 vs Sri Lanka Creates History: India Star Joins Sachin Tendulkar, Sehwag in Elite Club And Breaks Pujara’s Record

Devdutt Padikkal has announced himself in spectacular fashion on the Test stage.

The left-handed batter produced a sensational 167 against Sri Lanka in Galle, scoring his maiden Test century and walking away with several significant records after an innings that underlined his growing importance to India’s middle order.

With the Indian batting lineup featuring established stars such as Shubman Gill, KL Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Rishabh Pant, it was Padikkal who emerged as the standout performer in India’s first innings.

Playing only his third Test, the 26-year-old looked remarkably composed against the Sri Lankan attack. He eventually fell for 167 off 230 deliveries, having struck 15 boundaries and one six.

But the numbers tell only part of the story.

Padikkal joins Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag in elite club

Padikkal’s innings placed him in an exclusive group of Indian batters who have scored 150 or more in a Test innings in Sri Lanka.

He became only the fifth Indian to achieve the feat, joining legendary names including Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag, Shikhar Dhawan and Cheteshwar Pujara.

For a player still establishing himself in Test cricket, joining that list after just three matches is a remarkable achievement.

The innings also saw Padikkal break a record previously held by Pujara.

Padikkal breaks Pujara’s record

Padikkal became the youngest Indian batter to score 150-plus in a Test in Sri Lanka, surpassing Pujara’s previous mark.

He then went a step further.

His 167 also became the highest individual score by an Indian No. 3 batter in a Test in Sri Lanka, overtaking Pujara’s previous record of 153, scored in Galle in 2017.

That makes Padikkal’s innings particularly significant given the competition for India’s No. 3 position.

The Karnataka batter has been pushing his case for a permanent place in India’s Test middle order, and a performance of this magnitude could hardly have arrived at a better time.

Only Rahul Dravid is ahead of Padikkal

Padikkal’s 167 also ranks among India’s biggest scores at No. 3 against Sri Lanka.

Only the legendary Rahul Dravid stands above him. Dravid scored 177 against Sri Lanka in Ahmedabad in 2009.

That leaves Padikkal just 10 runs short of Dravid’s mark.

Considering the quality of batters who have represented India at No. 3 over the years, breaking into the top two with such a short Test career is a significant milestone.

Another record: highest score by a left-handed Indian No. 3 overseas

Padikkal’s record-breaking spree did not end there.

His 167 is now the highest score by a left-handed Indian No. 3 batter in an away Test.

The previous record belonged to Ajit Wadekar, who made 143 against New Zealand at Wellington in 1968.

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Padikkal has therefore surpassed a record that had stood for more than five decades.

A knock that almost became a double century

Padikkal’s innings had all the ingredients of a potential double hundred.

He appeared increasingly comfortable as the innings progressed and put together a commanding performance against the Sri Lankan bowlers.

However, his attempt to continue the assault ended when he was stumped for 167 off Prabath Jayasuriya.

Despite missing out on a double century, Padikkal had already done more than enough to leave his mark on the match.

From IPL success to Test cricket impact

Padikkal’s Test performance also continues a remarkable run of form.

He had enjoyed an impressive domestic season with Karnataka before carrying that momentum into the IPL 2026 season with Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB).

That consistency now appears to be translating into international red-ball cricket.

The challenge for Padikkal will be maintaining that level over a longer period. One spectacular Test innings does not guarantee a permanent place in India’s playing XI, particularly with several established batters competing for positions.

But after a 167 that broke records belonging to Pujara and Wadekar while putting him alongside Tendulkar and Sehwag, Padikkal has certainly made his case impossible to ignore.

For Indian cricket, the bigger story could be even more exciting: a potential new No. 3 may have just announced himself in Galle.