Shubman Gill was almost delighted when someone asked him when India was preparing for the tour of Sri Lanka. “If we have a chance and if the scheduling allows us to have at least a week or 10 days before the Test match starts, it obviously helps in preparation,” he smiled a day after the Galli Test. She arrived in India 11 days before the start of the series. Devdutt Padikkal became the direct endorsement of why this was an excellent decision. On the first day in Galle, he scored his maiden Test century – and was unbeaten. Padikkal spent last week tormenting the Sri Lankan bowlers of the SLC XI in a warm-up match where he scored 142* (164). Between that match and today, Sri Lankan bowlers have not dismissed him for 342 deliveries, and counting. But the first day one viewers were very different. It looked like Padikkal would have to wait a long time for his turn. It was calm and sunny at first, kites were flying nearby and people gathered at the edge of Galle Fort to catch a glimpse of the cricket. On the grassy banks of the place, a small crowd settled. But conditions in the middle were largely benign. There was rotation, but not enough to disturb the feathers. Both Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal were rested in the first hour. Padikkal then had to be called for an unexpected run out as Jaiswal stumbled after colliding with the bowler and was stranded at the same end as Rahul.
