Devdutt Padikkal continued his impressive start to the Test series against Sri Lanka, scoring his second successive century on Sunday as India took control of the opening day of the second Test at the Sinhalese Sports Club. The left-handed batter followed his career-best 167 in the first Test at Galle with another composed hundred in Colombo. His latest century strengthened India’s position after the visitors made a solid start with the bat.

Padikkal’s knock has been one of the major talking points of India’s campaign in the series. After breaking through for a big score in Galle, he carried that confidence into the second Test and again showed patience at the crease. His ability to build a long innings has given India valuable stability against the Sri Lankan bowling attack.

The second Test began on Sunday, with India looking to build on the momentum from the opening match of the series. Padikkal’s century came at an important stage as India sought to put up a substantial first-innings total and put pressure on the hosts. His back-to-back hundreds also mark a significant phase in his Test career. The 167 in Galle had been his highest score in the format, and following it with another century underlines the consistency he has brought to the series.

India’s batting effort was further helped by contributions from the rest of the line-up, leaving the visitors in a strong position by the end of the opening day. Sri Lanka now face the task of breaking through India’s middle order and preventing the tourists from building a sizeable first-innings advantage. The match is being played at the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo, one of Sri Lanka’s established cricket venues. Conditions in Colombo can traditionally offer assistance to spinners as the match progresses, making India’s first-innings score particularly important.

The second Test is also drawing attention because of developments away from the playing XI. Former India leg-spinner Karn Sharma announced his retirement from international and Indian domestic cricket at the age of 38. Sharma represented India in one Test, two ODIs and one T20I during his international career. He also enjoyed a successful Indian Premier League career, winning four IPL titles. Sharma is set to play his final professional match on August 25, bringing an end to a domestic career that spanned several seasons.

For India, however, the immediate focus remains firmly on the Test in Colombo. With Padikkal once again converting his opportunity into a major score, the visitors have made a strong statement on the opening day. Sri Lanka will need wickets early in the next phase of the match to prevent India from turning its advantage into a commanding total. India, meanwhile, will look to extend its dominance and put itself in a position to control the Test from here.