Rishabh Pant’s comeback outing ended on a disappointing note as the Indian wicketkeeper-batter was dismissed for just two runs in India’s warm-up match against Sri Lanka XI at the NCC Grounds in Colombo on Saturday.
Pant walked out with his usual aggressive intent and immediately looked to attack the Sri Lankan bowlers. However, his innings lasted only five balls before he chipped a delivery straight into the hands of the mid-off fielder.
Pant had earlier attempted an inside-out shot over mid-off and appeared to make decent contact, but the ball did not have enough power to beat the fielder. Two balls later, he tried a similar shot and this time picked out the mid-off fielder, ending his brief stay at the crease.
The match marked Pant’s first appearance since India’s one-off Test against Afghanistan in June. During that game, the 28-year-old produced an impressive 81 off 121 deliveries, smashing six fours and three sixes.
While Pant failed to make an impact in Colombo, Devdutt Padikkal provided India with a major reason for optimism. The left-hander scored a well-controlled century, reaching the three-figure mark off 121 balls. His innings included 14 fours before he retired after completing his hundred.
Padikkal’s timely century could strengthen his case for a place in India’s playing XI, particularly after Sai Sudharsan was ruled out of the upcoming Test series with a foot injury. Sudharsan’s absence has left a spot open in the batting order, giving Padikkal an opportunity to push for selection.
India also continued to make progress in their chase of Sri Lanka XI’s first-innings score of 363. Ravindra Jadeja added to India’s momentum by completing his half-century as the visitors moved closer to the hosts’ total.