Devdutt Padikkal attributed his improved game awareness and development into a more complete T20 batter to his time as captain of Karnataka’s cricket squad and a few tactical adjustments.
Following Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s victory over Gujarat Titans in the Indian Premier League on Friday in Bengaluru, where he was instrumental alongside Virat Kohli and their bowling unit, Padikkal was addressing.
Padikkal claimed that his leadership duties at the domestic level had improved his comprehension of rival strategies and match circumstances.
“Definitely, I think being a captain has given me a different perspective of the game. It makes you think a lot more about how a bowler thinks, how captains are thinking on the field, what they might look to do.
“That has helped me refine parts of my game and respond better to situations,” PTI quoted Padikkal as saying at the post-match press conference.
“It gives me a little bit more of an understanding as to the situation that I’m in and how I need to respond. So yeah, I guess being the captain of Karnataka has definitely contributed in a positive way.”
The left-hander, whose white-ball strategy has significantly improved, noted that his change is a normal development.
“I think it’s time we forget the previous version. This is who I am now. You identify areas to improve and keep working on them,” he said.
Padikkal praised the legendary Kohli for the level of intensity with which he plays the game despite accomplishing nearly everything cricket has to offer. With seven balls remaining, RCB accomplished a chase of 206 thanks to his significant partnership with Kohli. He claimed that others in the dressing room are inspired by Kohli’s fervor and energy.
“I think the biggest thing for me is his energy and intensity that he brings to every single game, every single net session. Although he’s achieved everything that is there to be achieved in this game, he still continues to give his 100 percent in every single practice session and every single match that he plays. And that kind of commitment is very hard to find.
“And when you see someone really so driven and so passionate about the game, it really rubs off to everybody in the side as well. So I’m sure his energy is helping everyone in the team,” Padikkal said.
He also expressed his gratitude to the RCB environment for fostering his development.
“Since joining RCB, the management has been really good in giving me direction and a pathway. The environment in the group has been special,” he noted.
He emphasized the importance of technical changes made during the shift from red-ball to T20 cricket.
“If you compare my Ranji Trophy batting with IPL, you can clearly see the changes. But the belief and confidence remain the same,” he explained.
Regarding the game, Padikkal stated that RCB’s bowlers performed admirably in the closing moments to contain GT.
“The last three overs (towards the end) were really important. We felt they were 15-20 runs short, which gave us confidence going into the chase,” he said.
He did concede that middle-order collapses must be addressed, though.
“Losing three or four wickets in a cluster is something we need to sharpen. We could have finished the game earlier,” he admitted.
Padikkal emphasized the need of remaining ahead of the necessary rate on RCB’s chasing pattern.
“If the rate is 10, we try to go at 11 or 12, especially in the powerplay. That cushion helps if wickets fall,” he said, stating that the needs of contemporary T20 cricket are reflected in this strategy.
Additionally, Padikkal said he was pleased with his own performance, especially his ability to clear the ropes.
“The biggest plus for me was the sixes. I hit six sixes, which is not very common for me. That was quite special,” he added.
