Devdutt Padikkal, the young opener of Royal Challengers Bangalore, who was earlier affected by the global pandemic novel COVID-19, has joined his team after being fully fit. However, he has said that it was a setback but he is fit now and ready to play as well as confident to carry forward his stunning domestic form in the ongoing Indian Premier League.
‘COVID was a setback. I wish that it didn’t happen but that’s something I couldn’t control…I had to accept the way it was and just make sure that I kept myself fit so that when I come back I can be ready for the game,’ he said in a video shared on RCB’s Twitter handle.
Bold Diaries: Devdutt Padikkal Interview
After a roller coaster ride in the last six months, a fit and rejuvenated Devdutt Padikkal is raring to gung-ho again. Watch his interview on @myntra presents Bold Diaries.#PlayBold #WeAreChallengers #IPL2021 pic.twitter.com/7CFkJFb4Sw
— Royal Challengers Bengaluru (@RCBTweets) April 12, 2021
“Right now I am completely fine, most importantly I am able to move around well, I am able to react to balls and that’s the most important partin IPL you always have to be ready, you always have to be 100 percent in every situation. Unless you are 100 per cent, you can’t really push yourself,” he again shared.
Devdutt Padikkal was Bangalore’s leading run-getter in IPL 2020 with a whopping 473 runs from 15 matches, including five half-centuries as well. He continued his stunning form in the last Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (218 runs at an average of 43.60 in six matches) and Vijay Hazare Trophy (737 runs in seven matches) as well.
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“Mushtaq Ali was decent, not up to what I was expecting and in Vijay Hazare I was just looking to get back into my rhythm and focus on what I am doing and really improve my game every time I went out to bat. “It was really great to have the runs behind me, so coming into IPL, I know that I am confident,” Padikkal said.
However, he is expected to play the second game against Kolkata Knight Riders on April 18. On the other hand, apart from Kohli, the RCB batting line-up also has experienced campaigners like AB de Villiers and Glenn Maxwell and they both did exceptionally well in the first game. However, the talented opener shared that he can’t wait to pick their brains.
‘…batting with them (seniors) just takes pressure of you. They are so good at what they do and they just make your job easier, know exactly what to do in every situation. So, it’s important that I just make sure I am learning as much as possible,’ Devdutt Padikkal concluded.
