3 reasons why Devdutt Padikkal's inclusion for 3rd Test vs England is the right move

Devdutt Padikkal earned his maiden call-up to the Indian Test squad as a replacement for KL Rahul in the upcoming third Test against England in Rajkot.

Padikkal is a left-handed top-order batter, who came into the limelight after his splendid performances for the Royal Challengers Bangalore in IPL 2020. Padikkal has represented India in two T20Is before, but hasn't yet made his international Test debut.

With several first-choice players missing, Devdutt Padikkal could start his Test career on February 15 in Rajkot. Ahead of the upcoming third Test between England and India, here's a look at the three reasons why the BCCI selection committee's decision to pick the left-handed youngster is a masterstroke.

---

#1 Devdutt Padikkal has gone through the domestic cricket grind

Quite a few cricket fans have complained that the BCCI selection committee picks players for the Test format based on their IPL performances. However, Ajit Agarkar's selection panel has given priority to first-class cricket as well.

Padikkal has played 31 first-class matches, where he aggregated over 2,000 runs and slammed six centuries. His highest score of 193 shows that the left-handed batter has the temperament to play a big knock in the red-ball arena.

On top of that, Padikkal has an average of 44.54 in the first-class format. The left-handed batter deserved a Test call-up for his consistent performances, and now, he will aim to continue in the same vein at the top level.

---

#2 Devdutt Padikkal has recorded 3 centuries in his last 4 matches

Form and confidence are important criteria for selection. Padikkal is in the form of his life right now. He slammed a century for Karnataka in their Ranji Trophy match against Goa in Mysore, followed it up with a ton against England Lions in Ahmedabad and then scored a fantastic 151 against Tamil Nadu in Chennai.

Padikkal has scored heaps of runs in different playing conditions and will enter the Indian Test squad with a lot of confidence. If given an opportunity to play, Padikkal can emerge as a game-changer for Team India in the remainder of this series.

---

#3 Devdutt Padikkal can be a long-term asset for India in Tests

The Indian Test team has been undergoing a transition in the last few years. Experienced players like Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Wriddhiman Saha and Ishant Sharma have been phased out. Even Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma are more than 35 years old now.

It is quite important for the team management to prepare for the future so that there aren't too many inexperienced players in the batting order at the same time. The team management has done a fantastic job in grooming Yashasvi Jaiswal.

Devdutt Padikkal, 23, can be the backbone of the Indian top order for a long time to come.