Devdutt

Padikkal

Devdutt Padikkal Biography and Career

Devdutt Padikkal is a left-handed top-order batter known for his calm temperament and technical skills. He is one of the few young talents to have represented the Indian team at a young age. Born on July 7, 2000, in Kerala, Padikkal plays for Karnataka in domestic cricket, where he gained recognition after a stellar domestic season in 2020, where he was the highest run-scorer. He was just 20 years old when he achieved this feat.

Padikkal's cricketing journey began at an early age. In 2011, his family moved from Hyderabad to Bengaluru, where he began training at the Karnataka Institute of Cricket. Since 2014, he has represented Karnataka in the under-16 and under-19 age groups. In 2017, he was selected by the Bellary Tuskers in the Karnataka Premier League.

His first-class debut for Karnataka came on November 28, 2018, in the 2018–19 Ranji Trophy tournament. In his debut game, he scored 77 runs against Maharashtra. Next year, on September 26, 2019, he made his List A debut for Karnataka in the 2019–20 Vijay Hazare Trophy. The year 2019 proved to be a breakthrough year in his career as he was the leading run-scorer in the tournament, with 609 runs in 11 matches.

Padikkal, known for his exceptional batting skills, including impeccable timing, a wide range of shots, and the ability to build an innings, was named in India's squad for the 2019–20 Deodhar Trophy later that year. He also made his Twenty20 debut in the same year on November 8, 2019, for Karnataka in the 2019–20 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.

Not only that, his impressive performance landed him the opportunity to play in the Indian Premier League (IPL) in 2019. Padikkal was bought by the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) for Rs 20 lakh at the player auction prior to IPL 2019. He debuted in the 2020 IPL season and played 15 games. In that season, Padikkal won the Emerging Player Award, playing for RCB. He scored 473 runs in 15 matches for Royal Challengers Bengaluru in his debut IPL season. He also became the first player in IPL history to score three half-centuries in his first four matches. In total, he hit five fifties in the 2020 IPL season.

In the 2021 Indian Premier League, Padikkal's maiden IPL century led Royal Challengers Bengaluru to a 10-wicket win against the Rajasthan Royals (RR). In that game, he scored an unbeaten 101 runs on just 52 balls.

For the 2022 IPL tournament, he was bought by the Rajasthan Royals in the auction. While playing for the Rajasthan Royals, he scored his 1,000 runs in the IPL. In November 2023, he was traded to Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) ahead of the auction of the 2024 season. For the 2025 season, he was back with Royal Challengers Bengaluru, who bought him at his base price of Rs 2 crore in the auction.

Padikkal's initial struggles in the IPL, especially with LSG in 2023 (average 5.42), prompted him to refine his T20 game. By 2025, he had evolved into a more aggressive batter, balancing strike rate with consistency.

Padikkal was also the first Indian batter to score four consecutive List A hundreds. He achieved this milestone during the 2020-21 Vijay Hazare Trophy. However, Padikkal suffered from a serious intestinal problem early in his career, which affected his form and fitness for two years. After two average seasons with the Rajasthan Royals, where he moved up and down the batting order, he was traded to the Lucknow Super Giants ahead of the 2024 IPL. Just before the trade, he regained his form, becoming Karnataka's top run-scorer in the 2023–24 Vijay Hazare Trophy and following that achievement with four centuries in six first-class matches.

The left-hand batter's performances in domestic and IPL, especially in IPL 2020 and 2021, led him to debut for the Indian team in 2021. His international debut came during India’s tour of Sri Lanka, where he played his first T20I on July 28 in Colombo. On his T20I debut, he scored 29 runs. His Test debut followed in 2024 against England in Dharamsala, marking his entry into the longest format. In his first Test, he scored a fifty. He made 65 runs on 103 balls, including 10 fours and one six.

In 2025, technical adjustments improved Padikkal's ball striking, helping him counter pace and spin effectively. His ability to adapt to different pitch conditions, especially in domestic cricket, has made him a consistent performer for Karnataka.

Beyond Cricket

Born in Kerala, Devdutt Padikkal grew up in Bengaluru, where his family encouraged his cricketing dreams. His mother, Ambili Padikkal, once humorously noted, “We planned for our second child to be a cricketer if it was a boy". While Padikkal is known for his passion for cricket, he also enjoys football, especially watching Manchester United, and has a desire to travel and explore the world. 

Padikkal's net worth is estimated at around Rs 9 crore in 2024. He lives in a luxury house in Edappal, Kerala, and has endorsed brands like Eatfit and Puma Vivo SS, along with other. Padikkal’s grounded persona and focus on self-improvement resonate with fans, who see him as a relatable figure. His disciplined lifestyle and love for Bengaluru’s food culture add a local charm to his off-field identity.

Devdutt Padikkal Records

Devdutt Padikkal Test Records:

• Half-century in debut game: In his debut game on March 7, 2024, against England, he scored 65 runs off 103 balls.

Devdutt Padikkal IPL Records:

• Most runs by an uncapped player in the debut IPL season: Scored 473 runs in 15 matches in his debut IPL season in 2020.
• First player to hit 3 fifties in his first four games: In the 2020 IPL season, he hit three half-centuries in his first four games, becoming the first player to do so in IPL history.
• Notable Achievement: Led Royal Challengers Bengaluru to a 10-wicket win against the Rajasthan Royals in the 2021 IPL season. In this game, he scored an unbeaten 101 runs in 52 balls.

Devdutt Padikkal Other Formats:

• Leading run-scorer of the 2019–20 Vijay Hazare Trophy: He was the leading run-scorer in the tournament, with 609 runs in 11 matches for Karnataka in the 2019–20 Vijay Hazare Trophy. 
• First Indian batter to score four consecutive List A hundreds: Achieved this feat during the 2020-21 Vijay Hazare Trophy.
• Karnataka's top run-scorer in the 2023–24 Vijay Hazare Trophy: In that season, he scored 465 runs.