Days after returning from the Test tour to Australia, Devdutt Padikkal seamlessly switched into white-ball mode and smashed a match-winning century for Karnataka against Baroda in the quarterfinals of the Vijay Hazare Trophy.
He followed it up with another crucial 86 against defending champion Haryana to guide his side home to the summit clash. It was his seventh consecutive 50-plus score in List-A cricket, a format Padikkal revels in. He averages a staggering 82.52, which is the best in the world among players with more than 2000 runs.
“I enjoy batting in one-dayers because you have a situation where you have to adapt throughout the innings,” Padikkal told The Hindu recently. “You play the first 10 overs in the PowerPlay, then move out of it, and then again you have a different scenario in the end.
“I enjoy adapting and changing my game as and when required. So that’s why, I guess, this is one of the best formats for me.”
For Padikkal, the current run is a continuation of a purple patch that started over a year ago, which helped the 24-year-old become India’s 314th Test cricketer when he debuted against England in Dharamshala in March 2024.
Though he played only one more Test, the first game against Australia in Perth in the just-concluded Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Padikkal is enjoying this phase of his career.
“I am very motivated and looking forward to whatever is left of this season,” Padikkal said about being in a happy space. “Being part of the Test squad drives you even further to push those limits, and that’s all I’m going to be looking to do this season as well. It’s important that I keep my foot on the pedal and not take it off.”
While he made his India debut in 2021 as part of a second-string T20I squad that toured Sri Lanka, his return to the national colours last year was a tangible proof of his progress.
“It’s pretty surreal. As a cricketer growing up, you want to play Test cricket for India, and being there in that entire series in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy was like a dream. Obviously, I would have liked to contribute more. But now, it is up to me to continue working hard and getting back up there,” said the stylish left-hander.
Padikkal first announced himself as one to watch out for in the 2019-20 domestic season, and followed it up with two good campaigns in the IPL for RCB.
However, shortly after that, his career graph dipped. He was also suffering from a gastrointestinal issue which compounded his problems. But last season, he hit his stride again, topping the run charts for his team in the Hazare Trophy and hitting three centuries in four Ranji Trophy outings. A century and two half-centuries for India-A against England Lions also ensured he was drafted into the Test squad against England.
“Technically, I did not make any changes; it remained the same,” explained Padikkal. “It was more about the mental part… to shift those limits I have been stuck with over the last 4-5 years. It was vital that I pushed myself to take that next step and came out of my comfort zone.”
“I think it’s all about having that hunger for runs,” Padikkal went on. “To be honest, everyone has the skill and talent to make it big at this level, but it’s all about that hunger… how badly you want it.
“Sometimes, it’s very easy to get lost in the grind and forget why you started [playing cricket]. At the end of the day, you know you enjoy scoring runs. That’s something I have gone back to, and that’s helping me now,” he added.
Speaking about the health issue he suffered, Padikkal stated that it taught him a valuable lesson. “There were a lot of mitigating circumstances during that period. I felt sick, and I pretty much didn’t have any focus on cricket at that point.”
“I had to make sure that I was healthy. So that was a pretty dragged-out problem that I suffered, and it made me physically weaker. Obviously, that put me in a position where I couldn’t push myself on the ground.
“When you are in a state of mind where you are not entirely confident with your body, it transfers onto the ground and into your batting. So that was something that I had to go through in that phase.
“Now that I have that experience behind me, I know how to handle situations where I am not feeling my best, and that has put me in a good state.”
At a time when the Test team might be readying itself to transition, Padikkal could be one of those from the next crop of batters who could be trusted to take over from the seniors.
“It’s important that we youngsters continue to keep pushing the limit, and are always ready to grab that opportunity because you never know when that comes. It could happen anytime. So it’s important that each time you go out to bat, you put yourself in a situation where you are getting ready to play at the highest level.
“You need to make sure that you are putting in that effort day in and day out and have that discipline and commitment towards the game. If we continue to do that, we will be ready,” Paddikal said.
At 24, Padikkal has already seen the highs and lows of being a professional cricketer and might be hitting his groove at the right time.
“I have had a lot of experience at such a young age, and I have played a lot of cricket over the last 5-6 years as well. It’s good that I am in my mid-20s and now at a stage where I understand my game better. It’s going to be a really exciting time ahead for me,” Padikkal said, before signing off.
Published – January 17, 2025 09:47 am IST
