RCB batsman Devdutt Padikkal has really performed brilliantly in the Vijay Hazare Trophy this season as he has crossed the 600-run mark in the competition for the third time in his career. Despite his efforts, the left-handed middle-order batsman has been overlooked by India’s selection committee for the upcoming ODI against New Zealand.
Royal Challengers Bangalore batsman Devdutt Padikkal is in tremendous form in the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy. ODI cricket has been the format where the batsmen have excelled the most and they have proved it time and again.
In the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy, he has scored 600 runs and holds the record of becoming the first cricketer to cross the milestone thrice in his career. Padikkal has scored 5 50+ scores in his last 6 innings at VHT, four of which are big centuries, and one half-century, where he missed the fifth century by a moment.
Devdutt Padikkal said of the Indian team’s defeat, “I wouldn’t say it was disappointing.”
Devdutt Padikkal looked calm and unaffected after being denied selection for the Indian cricket team despite his excellent form in the domestic ODI tournament. He is not bothered by this insult as he believes that there are already many great players in the team.
“I wouldn’t say it was disappointing,” Padikkal told The Indian Express. “Yes, I was looking at the selection and seeing what would come out. But at the same time, I understood that there are a lot of batsmen in the line up and everyone is performing really well. And it is not that easy to make a place in that ODI team,” he said.
The patience he has shown in his early career is one of the essential qualities any professional athlete needs. “And again, it’s something that, as cricketers, you have to make peace with. And you just have to try to do your job and keep scoring runs,” he explained.
Devdutt Padikkal credits RCB coaches for his development as a limited-overs cricketer
Devdutt Padikkal revealed that his foundation in cricket was laid on the orthodox routes of Test cricket; However, it was the guidance of coaches in IPL and RCB that transformed him into the modern explosive batsman.
He has credited his success largely to the coaches of the RCB management, especially Dinesh Karthik and Andy Flower from 2025 onwards.
“To be honest, the way they helped me at that stage and helped me understand how I can maximize my game in the T20 format, it helped me a lot to understand what I needed to do. Earlier, because I was so used to playing in the power play, I was not really thinking about playing at that stage after 7-14,” he said, crediting his coaches.
Devdutt Padikkal reveals his ODI strategy amid dream form in Vijay Hazare Trophy
Talking about the ODI format, the format in which he excels, Padikkal claimed that while T20 is about maximization, ODI is about maintaining the pace of the game and fitting into the pattern. He also claimed that he learned this early in his career and feels that it has helped him in his 50-over career.
“It’s very straightforward for me. It’s about fighting the new ball initially and then putting some pressure on the bowler and then playing according to the situation.”
“It’s always very much on the cards, especially when you’re batting first. And when you’re batting second, obviously, you can adapt your game according to the score,” he said.
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