Arnold praises ‘class’ Padikkal and ‘patient’ Suthar for being architects of India’s win in Galle
New Delhi, Aug 20 (IANS) Former Sri Lanka cricketer Russel Arnold has praised the ‘class’ of Devdutt Padikkal and a ‘patient’ Manav Suthar for being the primary architects of India’s emphatic 165-run victory in the first Test at Galle International Stadium.
Playing in his third Test, Padikkal was the calm aggressor at number three in B Sai Sudharsan’s absence and smashed a career-best 167 in the first innings, which ensured India held complete control of the match. A crucial second-innings 44 from the Karnataka batter’s willow helped India get a bigger lead over Sri Lanka.
“Padikkal seems to be in a great zone. He just seems to know exactly what he’s about. He uses his strengths really well, and that’s his reach and the way he uses his feet – playing on these slower conditions and pitches are an art, actually. It might seem easy, but everyone doesn’t get runs.
“As you would have seen right throughout the test match, everyone else did struggle. Most others did struggle, and the fact that he’s confident and he’s been doing really well in all formats, I think this opportunity has come at the right time so that his form also does count. But he’s shown a lot of class and quality, and I reckon he’s one that India can expect a lot from,” Arnold told IANS in a virtual interaction organised by Sony Sports Network on Thursday.
If Padikkal laid the base for India’s victory with the bat, a classical Suthar, hailing from Sri Ganganagar in Rajasthan, used his subtle changes in pace and variations to ensure Sri Lanka never recovered from the big strikes made by him.
His match figures of 4-76 and 6-55 helped him outshine a star-studded spin attack featuring Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav. Arnold compared Suthar’s methodical patience to Sri Lanka spin bowling great Rangana Herath. “Suthar, on the other hand, is so simple, so good to watch, and I think that’s his strength – being simple and being patient.
“On Sri Lankan pitches, we keep harping about the fact that you do get natural variations. Of course, certain spinners have a lot of skill. That was Murali, for example, or Warne. But others who have done really well have been by keeping it simple and staying patient. The best case in point is Rangana Herath, and Suthar seemed to be doing just that.
“Getting in there, just varying his pace and varying how he releases the ball. It was all there and thereabouts. So that was the good thing from those two. The patience of Suthar is what took him through, and that is hard to maintain,” he added.
With Ravichandran Ashwin retired and Jadeja entering the twilight of his career, alongside India’s ongoing search for a long-term number three post Cheteshwar Pujara’s departure, the emergence of Padikkal and Suthar comes as good news for the Test team.
Although stiffer challenges lie ahead via clashes against Australia and New Zealand, India will hope the pair can replicate their brilliance when the second Test gets underway in Colombo on Sunday.
Watch Sri Lanka vs. India 2nd Test Day 1 on August 23, 2026, from 10 AM IST live on Sony Sports Ten 2 SD & HD, Sony Sports Ten 3 SD & HD (Hindi), Sony Sports Ten 4 SD (Tamil, Telugu, Kannada) and Sony LIV.
–IANS
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