India, Aug. 16 -- India arrived in Galle carrying questions about the future of their batting order. By the end of the opening day of their 600th Test, Devdutt Padikkal had supplied a rather persuasive answer to one of them. Padikkal walked in after Yashasvi Jaiswal's run-out had broken a promising opening partnership and finished the day unbeaten on 131 from 178 deliveries, his maiden Test century carrying India to 288 for two. It was an innings of considerable consequence within the match, but potentially an even more important one for the shape of India's Test batting beyond it.

KL Rahul provided stability alongside him, making 77 before retiring hurt, and the pair added 150 runs to drag Sri Lanka away from the opening they needed aft...