'Life has been very kind, he has fought through it' - Ravi Ashwin delivers wonderful speech on Devdutt Padikkal's Test debut

In a moment of cricketing glory, young batter Devdutt Padikkal made his Test debut in India’s fifth and final Test against England at the picturesque HPCA Stadium in Dharamsala. The debut, however, came with a touch of sage advice from veteran spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, who emphasized the importance of cherishing the coveted Test cap.

Padikkal stepped into the playing XI, replacing the injured Rajat Patidar, who suffered a setback during training, as revealed by India's skipper Rohit Sharma at the toss. Despite Patidar's initial promise in Vizag, where he made his Test debut, the injury woes limited his impact, with only 63 runs to show in six innings.

The young debutant's journey to the Test arena was not without its challenges. Called up as a replacement during the Rajkot Test due to an injury to KL Rahul, Padikkal has had several adversities while rising up the ranks in his career.

Addressing the team before presenting Padikkal with his Test cap, Ashwin shed light on the arduous path the youngster had traversed.

"As a very young kid who came on, burst onto the scene, captivated the imagination of a lot of people through T20 cricket, and came up through the ranks as the star-studded boy from his state. He went through something that a youngster will also always find hard to go to” said Ashwin during the cap presentation before the start of the play.

“Physical trauma, was found hanging in balance whether he would play cricket. Life has been very kind, he has fought through it. Maybe that’s what makes you a much harder individual and a harder cricketer to go through life," Ashwin added reflecting on Padikkal's resilience.

India wrap England up for just 218 on Day 1

Coming to the ongoing match, India dominated England on Day One, limiting them to 218 runs, courtesy of Kuldeep Yadav's five-wicket haul and Ravichandran Ashwin's four-wicket performance. Despite Zak Crawley's top-scoring effort with 77 runs, England struggled as their key players, including Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow, failed to convert starts into substantial innings. With India aiming for a 4-1 series victory after winning the last three matches, England hope to demonstrate resilience and end the series with a 3-2 scoreline by securing a win in the final Test.

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