IPL franchise Royal Challengers Bangalore’s opener Devdutt Padikkal on Wednesday made his T20 debut for India. The 21-year-old along with three others – Nitish Rana, Ruturaj Gaikwad and Chetan Sakariya -played their first T20 game in national colours. India lost to Sri Lanka by four wickets. 

Marking his much-awaited debut, Devdutt Padikkal created a record as soon as he stepped on the field. With his inclusion in playing XI, the Karnataka batsman became the first man to feature in an international match for India among the players born in the 21st century. Padikkal was born on July 7 2000 and celebrated his 21st birthday recently.

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As far as age is a parameter, Devdutt Padikkal in the enth youngest player for India in T20Is. The other nine were born before 2000. The likes of off-spinner Washington Sundar, opener Prithvi Shaw, batsman Shubman Gill and leg-spinner Rahul Chahar made their international debut at lower age but all four were born in 1999. India women’s team player Shafali Verma was 15 years and 239 days old when she made her debut in T20Is in September 2019. She is the youngest to achieve the feat. 

Padikkal scored 29 runs off 23 balls with the help of a six and a four. On a sluggish pitch, Shikhar Dhawan and company scored 132 runs in the first innings. Sri Lanka chased the target with four wickets and two balls to spare. 

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Dhawan top-scored for India with 40 runs. Bhuvneshawar Kumar 1/21 in 4 overs – and Kuldeep Yadav 2/32 put up a fight but couldn’t defend the total. 

The other much-anticipated debut of Ruturaj Gaikwad (21 off 18 balls) also ended in a whimper when a Sri Lankan captain Dasun Shanaka’s short ball climbed on him and he got himself in a tangle while playing a pull-shot that went straight-up after for Minod Bhanuka.