Karnataka batsman Devdutt Padikkal continued his excellent form in the Vijay Hazare Trophy as he scored his fourth century in just five matches. With India yet to announce the squad for the upcoming ODI series against New Zealand, Padikkal’s poor form may force the selectors to consider his name for the series.
It is expected that the Indian selectors will announce the squad for the ODI series against New Zealand in the next few days. Padikkal has come into controversy due to recent changes in the setup. Shreyas Iyer, who failed the fitness test at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru, is still recovering from the injury.
Devdutt Padikkal scored his fourth century in Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025.
In the Group A match at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on 3 January, Tripura won the toss and elected to bowl. Devdutt Padikkal opened the innings with Mayank Agarwal. However, the batting side lost both Agarwal and Karun Nair inside the first three overs, leaving the side at 6 for 2.
After this, Padikkal took the innings forward with an important partnership of 136 runs in 151 balls. He later added 65 runs in 60 balls with KL Rahul, who made a quickfire 35 in 28 balls. Smaran also scored 60 runs on 82 balls.
Padikkal brought up his century with a single in the 38th over, completing a composed innings after the initial jitters and getting the innings back on track.
Devdutt Padikkal’s brilliant performance in Vijay Hazare Trophy
Devdutt Padikkal has performed brilliantly in the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy and has scored big scores almost every time he has come out to bat for Karnataka.
He made a great start to the tournament by scoring a brilliant 147 runs in 118 balls against Jharkhand and played an important role in chasing the big target. In the very next match, he scored 124 runs in 137 balls against Kerala.
Padikkal had a rare score against Tamil Nadu, where he could only score 22 runs, but the setback did not last long. He returned with another century, scoring 113 runs in 116 balls against Puducherry.
Padikkal’s consistency and century-scoring ability makes him one of the brightest future prospects for India in the 50-over format. The Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee will find it difficult to ignore the left-handed batsman for the upcoming appointments.
Devdutt Padikkal’s strong claim for ODI selection
Devdutt Padikkal’s record in List A cricket is excellent. In 37 innings, he has scored 13 centuries and 12 half-centuries, while his average is over 80. These figures put him ahead of many senior Indian batsmen in the 50-over format.
Padikkal is yet to make his ODI debut, but he has already represented India in Tests and T20 Internationals. Earlier this season, he also impressed in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.
The left-handed batsman can bat both in the top order and middle order, giving greater flexibility to the team management. His ability to adapt to all formats makes him a strong option.
With Shreyas Iyer currently unavailable, the selectors are looking for a reliable replacement. Padikkal’s strong home performance has come at the right time, with a final decision still to be taken for the series against New Zealand.
Also read: Shubman Gill has had a disastrous start to 2026 as Vijay Hazare Trophy comeback delayed due to fresh illness
