India’s latest solution to their unsettled No. 3 position is another debutant being asked to fill one of the most important roles in the Test batting order. Devdutt Padikkal has been given the opportunity in Sri Lanka after Sai Sudharsan failed to recover in time for the series.

Padikkal steps into the breach

Padikkal’s promotion followed a determined preparation campaign. He worked alongside captain Shubman Gill in the nets, handled spin effectively against Saransh Jain and used his reach to sweep and get to the ball. He also struck a 164-ball 142 for Sri Lanka Cricket XI in Colombo, an innings packed with drives that came on the same day Sudharsan was officially ruled out.

India’s decision was shaped by caution over Sudharsan’s fitness. Gill said the batter had initially appeared likely to feature, but repeated scans showed that his recovery was not progressing as expected. “Sometimes you have to take a call from the player’s point of view as to whether you want to take that risk,” Gill said.

Padikkal has also prepared for the demands beyond batting, moving to the main ground after India’s lengthy nets session for close-catching practice, potentially at short leg. His readiness is encouraging, but his arrival also underlines the larger issue: India have not established a long-term successor in a position traditionally regarded as the fulcrum of the top order.

A revolving door since the 2023 WTC final

India have used seven different No. 3 batters since the World Test Championship final in 2023. Sudharsan has led the position’s run tally with 383 runs in 12 innings, followed by Gill with 237 in nine innings and Karun Nair with 111 in four. Virat Kohli, Washington Sundar, Padikkal and KL Rahul have also filled the role during the period.

Across the current World Test Championship cycle, India’s seven No. 3 options have accumulated 1,645 runs in 53 innings at an average of 32.90. Only Australia and West Indies have recorded lower averages among the teams listed, although India’s figures are complicated by injuries, retirements and the selectors’ decision to move on from Cheteshwar Pujara.

Gill inherited a disrupted squad after Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli left the established core, but tactical changes have added to the instability. Sudharsan was trusted in the tour opener before being left out for tactical reasons. Nair then received a two-Test run, only for Sudharsan to reclaim the place. At home, Sudharsan was again displaced when Washington Sundar was selected to provide an extra all-round option.

India need more than another short-term fix

The position carries historical weight. Rahul Dravid scored more than 10,000 Test runs at No. 3, while Pujara occupied the position for 155 innings across 13 years and made 6,529 runs. India’s current top four—KL Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Gill alongside the eventual No. 3—may otherwise be settled, which gives the team an opportunity to develop a specialist rather than continually adjust the vacancy.

Instead, an aggressive perform-or-perish approach risks trapping both the selectors and the batters in a cycle of opportunities followed by quick judgments. Padikkal may have the next two weeks to establish himself in Sri Lanka, but Sudharsan’s return for the New Zealand Tests and Australia’s arrival for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy will reopen the question.

India’s immediate choice is understandable. Their longer-term stance remains unclear. Until the team backs one player through the inevitable peaks and troughs of Test cricket, the No. 3 position will remain a symbol of India’s transition rather than a settled foundation.