Devdutt mantra: Push to match Virat and improve
MUMBAI: Devdutt Padikkal, who shone brightest in 2020 IPL, has warmed up for the coming edition with an outstanding show in the Vijay Hazare Trophy one-day tournament, where he became the first Indian to score four successive hundreds in List A cricket.
The left-handed opener’s seven innings for Karnataka produced four hundreds and three half-centuries. The tournament also demonstrated how tight the competition for the India openers’ slots is becoming with Padikkal and Mumbai’s Prithvi Shaw going head-to-head. Both broke the previous aggregate record of 723 runs (Mayank Agarwal in the 2017-18 edition). Padikkal aggregated 737 (avg 147.40), finishing only behind the 827 Shaw scored in Mumbai’s win. As he gears up for his first IPL at home, the 20-year-old speaks about rubbing shoulders with Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers at RCB and making a mark against the likes of Jasprit Bumrah.
Excerpts:
Can you talk about the pull you played against Jasprit Bumrah early last IPL? Few handle Bumrah’s short ball well as it comes at an awkward height.
Yes, I remember that shot. The thing was, being my first IPL, I knew people will probably test me with the short ball early on. I just wanted to make sure I showed them I am able to pull regardless of what pace I am facing. As soon as I got the chance, I played the pull so that they know I am an impact player.
Given the runs you scored in Vijay Hazare, were you disappointed missing out on ODI selection?
What I have learnt for the past two-three years (is) that I can’t be really bothered about selection. What I am looking to do is to improve my game every day, work on myself. It doesn’t matter for which team, franchise cricket or domestic cricket; I want to make sure I score runs, make my team win. Eventually, when I get there it will be great.
Currently there is a tough fight for an India opener’s slot. Do you feel the enormity of the challenge to get into the India team?
I take it as a fun challenge. When you have a high level of competition it makes you do better, pushes you even more; that is always good. I just keep pushing myself and keep improving. The more competition I have, the more drive I have to do better. That’s how I look at it.
In IPL, it’s been learning on the move for you, being with Kohli and De Villiers.
That was pretty special. You get to learn so much from them. The kind of passion and drive they have for the game, the way they play, the way they carry themselves. It is not easy to handle all that pressure, especially when the team is looking up to you to take the responsibility.
How is it batting with Kohli?
He plays at such a high level; when you are batting with him, you feel you have to really push yourself and match the standard at which he plays.
That helped improve my game. He makes the game pretty easy. He understands the game so well, when to take a chance and when to pull back, and when to really go after the bowling. When you have so much knowledge it makes our job very easy at the other end.
What’s your goal?
The ultimate goal is to play for India in the longest format. In the short term, I am going to focus on each game at a time.
How do you unwind, what other sports you follow?
I follow football a lot. I am a Manchester United fan, I pretty much do not miss any of their games. I watch F1 and tennis quite a bit… I am watching sports all the time, it is pretty much what I do.