Can’t have any excuses in India; important to score runs whenever you bat: Devdutt Padikkal

Runs in Indian domestic cricket are not inflation-proof. There are so many good batters, and such is the competition to get into the national team, that just one big pile of runs doesn’t always cut it.

No one knows this better than Devdutt Padikkal. The 25-year-old averages an astonishing 82.23 in List-A cricket — including the 2025-26 Vijay Hazare Trophy where he scored 725 runs at 90.62 in Karnataka’s semifinal run — but is yet to play an ODI.

In 2023-24, he made 812 First Class runs at 81.20, with a half-century in his debut Test against England in Dharamshala, but has played for India just once more (Australia, Perth, November 2024). Interestingly, his international bow was in T20Is in 2021, when he played two fixtures in Sri Lanka as part of a second-string team.

Yet, Padikkal’s drive to excel remains intact. Apart from the recent Vijay Hazare exploits, he had an impactful IPL in 2025, scoring 247 runs at a strike-rate of 150.60 as Royal Challengers Bengaluru lifted its maiden crown.

Last weekend in the Ranji Trophy versus Punjab, in his first outing as Karnataka captain, he played a match-winning knock (120 n.o., 85b, 6×4, 5×6) as his side chased down a 250-run target in 28 overs to qualify for the knockouts. Padikkal spoke to The Hindu after the pulsating contest. Excerpts:

Fifty-over phenom: Padikkal averages an astonishing 82.23 in List-A cricket, but is yet to play an ODI.
| Photo Credit:
Vijay Soneji

How do you sum up your season so far?

It’s been great, I’ve enjoyed my batting. Whenever possible, I’ve tried to contribute to the side. At the end of the day, it was important for me to win those trophies that we played in. Unfortunately, that’s not happened so far. That’s something that I’m disappointed about but hopefully can make it right in the Ranji Trophy.

How have you grown as a batter?

I’m at a really good place right now. I want to score runs every time I go out and play, and I’m also constantly trying to improve. Even in these four innings that I’ve played in the Ranji Trophy so far [vs. Madhya Pradesh and Punjab], I’ve felt that there are things that I need to improve. Especially playing spin, considering what we’ve been going through as an Indian side. So it was important that I came back and worked on those things, and I’m happy that I was able to show that [vs. Punjab].

You are an all-format batter, but the formats are changing so drastically. How do you make adjustments?

To be honest, it’s not that easy. I’ve tried to mentally make that switch. But turnaround time being less makes it very hard. At the same time, we can’t have any excuses in India. It’s important to score runs whenever you go out to bat, and that’s the mindset I have.

Power of love: Padikkal says the country’s batting depth once intimidated him, but he has learnt to focus on enjoying cricket.
| Photo Credit:
PTI

You had an impressive IPL 2025. Not many runs, but they came at a high strike-rate. Was that you evolving?

Definitely. That was a big confidence boost. The previous couple of IPL seasons weren’t great for me. And IPL being one of the premier tournaments, confidence from a good IPL definitely carries through to the rest of your season. So I was happy that all the work I put in came in handy during the IPL season as well as after that.

You also bat at different positions for India, Karnataka and RCB. How do you go about that?

Batting at multiple positions is something that you have to adapt to in the current era. When you bat in different formats, you learn to bat in different positions as well. Some of the shots you saw [vs. Punjab], I probably wouldn’t have played them if I was just opening all my career. It was something that I developed because I was batting in the middle-overs, etc.

Modern-day cricket is high-risk and demanding. How do you deal with failure?

You have to back yourself. You can’t be second-guessing yourself. That’s something that I have learnt in the last few years that I’ve been playing at the highest level. You have to back your skills and the work you’ve put in. You have to trust your instincts to take over once you’re on the field.

But in this jam-packed calendar, how do you find time to work on specific skills and adjustments you may have to make to continuously grow?

The most time you get is the seven hours of sleep in your room [laughs]. Honestly, there isn’t much time to sit back and think. You have to learn to make those adjustments in your mind and hope they translate onto the pitch. You don’t have hours and hours at the practice grounds. It’s important that you train your mind in such a way that you are able to make that adjustment once you think about it.

What have you learnt from being around the national set-up and the IPL?

Definitely the hunger and drive that top players have to win games. How much value each win has, how much it means to take the side through and be that guy who stands tall at the end… what happened [vs. Punjab] may not have happened five or six years ago when I wasn’t part of that set-up. That’s something that I’ve picked up, and hopefully I can continue to emulate.

Shifting gears: Padikkal had an impactful IPL 2025, scoring at a strike-rate of 150.60. 
| Photo Credit:
K. Murali Kumar

When you look at the batting depth that the country has, does it intimidate or motivate you?

I won’t lie. It used to intimidate me five or six years back. I used to think that it’s really hard to make it to the Indian side. You have to do so much more. But there comes a time when you need to just enjoy cricket. It’s not about getting picked for India or being selected in some team or the other. It’s just about enjoying the game that you’ve always loved. And the moment you start doing that, the rest of the things fall into place.

You have only four international caps. Does that disappoint you?

Obviously, I want to get as many opportunities as possible. But like you already mentioned the competition that exists in India… it’s not easy to get a longer run. You have to work hard. You have to show that you belong. And that’s what I’m trying to do. Every day I come out to bat, I’m trying to score. Hopefully I’ll get that long run.

What is the next iteration of Devdutt Padikkal?

I have to keep getting better. As a cricketer, you work on one thing, and the next day you realise something else has gone down. It’s just very natural. You can’t always have every base in check and you have to make compromises. And I have to find that balance and continue to make sure that my game is in such a place that I can be consistent.

What are your near- and long-term targets?

Immediate target is to win the Ranji Trophy. That’s something I’ve always wanted to do. Long-term target is to win everything that I play.

Published – February 07, 2026 12:06 am IST