Rishabh Pant had a disappointing outing in India’s warm-up match against Sri Lanka XI at the NCC Grounds in Colombo on Saturday, managing just two runs. Pant came to the crease with his trademark attacking intent and looked to take on the bowlers from the outset. However, his stay at the crease lasted only five balls before he was dismissed after chipping the ball straight to the fielder at mid-off.
The Indian wicketkeeper-batter had initially attempted an inside-out shot over the mid-off region. Although he made good contact, the ball lacked enough power to clear the fielder. Two deliveries later, Pant attempted a similar shot but this time picked out the mid-off fielder, bringing his short innings to an end.
The dismissal marked Pant’s first match since India’s one-off Test against Afghanistan in June. In that game, the 28-year-old had impressed with an 81-run knock off 121 balls, including six fours and three sixes. While Pant failed to spend much time at the crease in Colombo, India received a major boost from Devdutt Padikkal. The left-hander scored a composed century, reaching the milestone in 121 balls. He struck 14 fours during his innings before retiring after completing his hundred.
Padikkal’s century comes at an important stage for India after Sai Sudharsan was ruled out of the upcoming Test series due to a foot injury. His absence has created an opening in India’s batting line-up, with Padikkal strengthening his case for a place in the side. Meanwhile, India continued to make steady progress in their chase of Sri Lanka XI’s first-innings total of 363. Ravindra Jadeja also brought up his half-century, helping India close the gap on the hosts’ total.
