Devdutt Padikkal, with his swashbuckling performances in IPL 2020, has made a mark for himself among the fans of Indian cricket. The southpaw finished the mega T20 tournament as the fifth in terms of most runs scored, and the highest run-getter for the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), beating the likes of Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers who are among the finest batters in the shortest format and the frontrunners in RCB’s batting department in all these years.
In 15 innings played this season, the Karnataka cricketer aggregated 473 runs and five fifties, averaging 31.53, and striking at a healthy rate of over 120, and thus got the adulations from Virat Kohli post the Eliminator match against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH).
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Not to mention, he started the tournament with 56 off 42 deliveries against SRH, and three of his fifty-plus knocks came in a winning cause for the Men in red.
Prior to the IPL, Padikkal raked a ton of runs in the last season of the Indian domestic circuit. He was the leading run-getter in both Vijay Hazare Trophy (50-over format) and Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (20-over format).
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In the 50-over tournament, the Kerala-born amassed 609 runs in 11 matches that comprised a couple centuries and five half-centuries. In the 20-over tournament, he clobbered 580 runs in 12 matches at an average and strike rate of 64.44 and 175.75, with a hundred and five fifties. Karnataka won both these tournaments with the young cricketer leading the batting charts.
Devdutt will get his game right at the top level, says Sourav Ganguly
Recently, BCCI President Sourav Ganguly talked about Devdutt’s performance in his maiden edition of IPL and how he could grab a spot in the Indian cricket team.
The former India cricketer and opener called the Karnataka youngster a ‘good talent’ and lauded his technique while he watched him play in one of the Ranji Trophy matches. The batting legend added that although it is too early to make the call and that Padikkal should play more domestic cricket as the upcoming seasons would be a lot harder, he still feels that the 20-year-old could make it to the team possibly as an opener.
“He is a very good talent. Although T20 cricket is the first step, I saw him play an innings at Eden Gardens in the Ranji Trophy semi-final in Bengal vs Karnataka. Karnataka was a strong side and he stood tall. He has got talent and time when he plays fast bowling.
Let him go through a couple of seasons because the second season will be a lot harder. India wants openers so hopefully, he will get his game right at the top level,” said the former India skipper in an interview to India Today.
