IPL 2026: Devdutt Padikkal attributes steady growth to state captaincy

BENGALURU: Devdutt Padikkal’s rise in the ongoing IPL season has been marked not just by runs, but by a growing sense of awareness — of situations, of bowlers, and of his game. After his defining 27-ball 55 in Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s five-wicket win over Gujarat Titans on Friday at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium here, the southpaw pointed to a significant factor behind his growth— captaining Karnataka.

“Being a captain has definitely given me a different perspective on the game,” Padikkal said during the post-match press conference.

“It’s made me think a lot more about how a bowler thinks, how captains are thinking on the field, what they might look to do,” he added.

That shift was evident in the way he constructed his innings alongside Virat Kohli. Walking in early in a steep chase, Padikkal showed intent, picking his moments to attack while ensuring RCB stayed ahead of the required rate.

Padikkal believes that added responsibility has sharpened his decision-making. “It gives me a little more understanding as to the situation that I’m in and how I need to respond,” he said, adding that the leadership role has helped him refine different aspects of his game. The result has been a more complete T20 batter.

His progress, however, has not come overnight. Padikkal was quick to dismiss the narrative of sudden transformation, instead framing his journey as a work in progress. “The conversations around me being different have been going on for far too long. This is who I am now,” he said. “You find things you need to work on and you keep improving.”

He acknowledged that there are technical differences between formats, particularly when switching from red-ball to white-ball cricket. “If you compare my Ranji Trophy batting to here, you can clearly see the changes,” he added. But the foundation, he stressed, remains unchanged: “The self-belief and confidence need to stay the same.”

The 25-year-old also highlighted the influence of sharing a dressing room with Kohli.

For a young batter navigating his own path, observing one of the game’s greats has been instructive. “The biggest thing for me is his energy and intensity,” Padikkal said. “Even after achieving everything, he still gives 100 per cent in every session. That kind of commitment is very hard to find.”

More than anything, it’s the relentless drive that has left an impression. “When you see someone so passionate, it rubs off on everyone,” added Padikkal.

Meanwhile, GT assistant coach Vijay Dahiya revealed Kohli was disappointed to have not reached a hundred despite his match-winning 8. “After the game, he (Kohli) was saying he could’ve converted it into a hundred. That tells you about his mindset. He is not playing to prove a point to anyone. It’s about the man in the mirror - trying to be better than yesterday,” said Dahiya.