Watch: Devdutt Padikkal launched Shoaib Bashir for a huge six straight back over his head to reach his maiden half-century on debut in Dharamshala.

India piled on the runs on Day Two of the final Test match of the series, passing 400 with ease after Tea. All of India’s top five made scores of 50 or more – the first time an India batting lineup has managed this in a Test match since 2009 – with Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill both scoring centuries.

Padikkal came out to bat at No.4 after Rohit was bowled by Ben Stokes’ first ball into the attack (and first ball in Test cricket since June last year). Gill was out in the next over leaving Padikkal and Sarfaraz Khan as two new batters at the crease. However, Padikkal looked at ease from the start in his debut innings. He hit two fours in his first ten balls, both off Stokes, and then edged James Anderson for another boundary in his third over in the middle.

Establishing himself at the crease, he hit three fours in another of Anderson’s overs, driving through cover, punching through point and flicking through mid-wicket. By the time the Tea break came, Padikkal had reached 44 off 77 balls with Sarfaraz at the other end having already reached his half century – the stand worth 97 off 22 overs.

When Sarfaraz was dismissed by Bashir off the first ball after Tea, Padikkal took over as the main aggressor. He reached his half-century with a powerful six down the ground off Bashir. Capitalising on an over-pitched ball, Padikkal stood still at the crease and swung his bat through the line, depositing the ball straight back over Bashir’s head and into the stands.

He became another India debutant to make a half-century on debut, after Sarfaraz made twin 50s in the third Test match of the series. Padikkal was out to Bashir for 65 off 103 balls, getting stuck on the back foot with the ball nipping past his outside edge and into off stump.

Watch: Padikkal reaches half century on debut with huge six down the ground

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