Devdutt Padikkal makes a statement on IPL debut

Dubai: Promising youngster Devdutt Padikkal signalled his arrival on the big stage with a superb 42-ball 56 against Sunrisers Hyderabad as Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) got their Indian Premier League (IPL) campaign off to a winning start here on Monday. 

Devdutt Padikkal
Devdutt Padikkal with his parents and sister.

Already a known name in the Indian domestic circuit, the 20-year-old mesmerised one and all with his fluent strokeplay and made his opening partner Aaron Finch, Australia's limited-overs captain and one of world’s best white-ball players, look ordinary.

In the process, he also became the first Indian since 2010 to score a fifty on IPL debut.

A fearless batsman who plays his strokes and looks to dominate, the lanky southpaw was the highest run-getter in the last edition of the Vijay Hazare trophy tournament with 609 runs in 11 innings, scoring at an average of 67.66. He topped the run charts at the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy T20 championship as well, scoring 580 runs in 12 matches with a massive strike-rate of 175.75. 

Though Devdutt landed a deal with RCB ahead of the 2019 edition of the IPL, he did not get a chance to play. 

Born in Edappal in Malappuram district to Babunu and Ambili, Devdutt’s tryst with cricket began when his family decided to move from Hyderabad to Bangalore to provide him with a better cricketing opportunity. 

"When he phoned us in the afternoon, he was not certain about his place in the playing XI. However, he sounded very calm and relaxed. He told us that he had a chance to bat with skipper Virat Kohli and Finch in the nets. So we were very hopeful. His only concern was the hot weather conditions in the UAE. We are glad that he could make it count," said his mother Ambili. 

Devdutt has been training at the Karnataka Institute of Cricket ever since his family shifted to Bengaluru from Hyderabad in 2011. Coach Naseeruddin has played a vital role in moulding his career. He first represented Karnataka in 2014 and went on to play for the state in the U-16 and U-19 categories. Consistent performance for age-group teams helped him earn a call-up to the India U-19 team. Devdutt was in good nick in the away series against Sri Lanka and the U-19 Asia Cup in Bangladesh. 

In 2017, Karnataka Premier League franchise Bellary Tuskers picked him up and so far he has played for them in three seasons. His exploits in the local league caught the attention of RCB's director of cricket Mike Hesson and was soon rewarded with an IPL contract. 

With this blistering knock laced with eight delightful boundaries, the youngster has made a statement and has undoubtedly looked like a batsman for the future.

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