Devdutt Padikkal’s return to form kept gathering momentum as he struck a brisk 55 from 27 balls, helping Royal Challengers Bengaluru record a five-wicket triumph over Gujarat Titans in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 at M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Friday. Speaking after the effort, Padikkal said his progress has been built through work away from the spotlight, while also stressing the belief provided by the team’s environment.
“Feels great. I’ve been working hard to get where I am, and I’m glad it’s paying off. I think a lot of this is thanks to the self-belief that the management has given me. At the same time, I’ve made some technical changes over the past few years. You have to stick to those changes. Now I am seeing the results,” Padikkal said.
Chasing a challenging target of 205, RCB required a fast start, and Padikkal delivered. He took the attack to Kagiso Rabada and Mohammed Siraj, finding boundaries while keeping the chase on track. One stroke in particular drew attention—a lofted drive over extra cover—which he later singled out. “It was probably my favourite shot of the day for sure,” Padikkal said.
Padikkal also framed his innings as strategic rather than reckless. “At the end of the day, I need to play according to the situation and assess what’s happening out there. We were chasing 210, so we needed to make the most of the Powerplay and keep the momentum going for the next few overs,” he explained. That approach translated into dominance during the middle overs, where he went after Prasidh Krishna and kept applying pressure to Rashid Khan by mixing sweeping strokes with lofted hits.
Virat Kohli provided the steadying presence with a composed 81, but Padikkal’s more aggressive spell ensured RCB never slipped behind the required run rate. Even though he was eventually dismissed—bowled by a sharp googly from Rashid—the platform he created proved decisive for the chase.
Looking ahead, Padikkal said he wants to play an even bigger role in finishing matches. “I want to help finish games, so hopefully I can do that soon,” he said, adding that the squad’s batting depth gives him license to express himself at the top. “We’ve seen what Tim, Romario, and Jitesh can do down the order, so with that kind of firepower, you can feel free to go out and express yourself,” Padikkal added.
