Karnataka has given many renowned cricketers throughout the years and the young Devdutt Padikkal is one of them. The 19-year-old has certainly come in the limelight in the likes of Manish Pandey, KL Rahul and Mayank Agarwal. Devdutt has performed really well in the last six months.
He said, “I would pat my back for finishing as the highest run-getter in both the Vijay Hazare and Syed Mushtaq Ali tournaments. Also, being the top scorer for Karnataka in the Ranji Trophy meant a lot because at the beginning of the season, no one looked at me as the main player or the man to look to when the team is in a difficult situation. I felt that change this season.”
In 31 matches across formats, Padikkal scored 1,838 runs. The batsman said, “I’ve stood up on most occasions when the team wanted, and that’s something I’m proud of.”
Devdutt Padikkal impressed everyone in the limited-over games with his pulling, cutting and other shots, but he failed to do well in the Ranji Trophy.
He said, “I could’ve done much better in Ranji Trophy. There were a lot of starts that I couldn’t convert. There’s always highs and lows in cricket. I’ve started to deal with that better now because I have runs to back me. I’m able to handle the two-three innings in which I’m not getting runs.”
Padikkal, who looked up to former India player Gautam Gambhir, added, “The going is tough during those periods, but it’s important that you stick to the process and continue to work hard.”
From being a shy boy in the dressing room to one of the best openers of Karnataka, he has come a long way.
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“Last season, I was dropped after the five games in which I got a few 50s,” he said. “I knew that I didn’t live up to expectations. The 50s weren’t enough. I had to convert them or play knocks that defined the match and helped the team. So, I felt that’s something I wanted to improve on this year. I wanted to guide the team to wins and be the main man and that’s what I did. It was satisfying. I was able to convert my thoughts and hopefully I can continue that journey.”
However, Devdutt Padikkal was in tears when he was out on 60 against Hyderabad in a losing cause in the Vijay Hazare and also he was dismissed on 99 against Himachal Pradesh in the Ranji Trophy as well.
He said, “At that moment, it is very hard because I’m still learning. When you fall just short, those moments really hit you hard, especially if you are unable to win the game for the team.”
“I cried a bit after the 99. It’s a cruel number to get out on, after working so hard,” he said, his eyes still mirroring the moment. “But that made me a better batsman. I learnt some valuable lessons. I have to be focused throughout. A momentary lapse of concentration and you are heading back to the dressing room.”
However, Devdutt Padikkal has acknowledged that seniors like KL Rahul and Mayank Agarwal have always supported him.
Devdutt Padikkal concluded, “I learnt to deal with circumstances because of the team and the management. Everyone is very supportive and helped me get over the disappointment. It’s very important that you have a team that believes in you and knows that eventually you will turn it around. For example, if I was moved around in the batting order, it wouldn’t have been easy for me. So, it was really great that I was backed at my position because I wanted to take that responsibility.”
