Devdutt Padikkal’s unbeaten century (151*) and his partnership with R Samarth (57) helped Karnataka post 288/5 against Tamil Nadu on the opening day of their Ranji Trophy Elite ‘C’ group match. Padikkal’s responsible innings was crucial for Karnataka, as they faced a challenging pitch at the MA Chidambaram Stadium. Despite losing the early wicket of Mayank Agarwal, Padikkal anchored the innings, and his partnership with Samarth frustrated the Tamil Nadu bowlers. The 23-year-old batsman’s unbeaten century was the highlight of Karnataka’s innings on a day when many experienced batters struggled.