Devdutt Padikkal\u2019s 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\u2019s environment.<\/p>\n
\u201cFeels great. I\u2019ve been working hard to get where I am, and I\u2019m glad it\u2019s 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\u2019ve made some technical changes over the past few years. You have to stick to those changes. Now I am seeing the results,\u201d Padikkal said.<\/p>\n
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\u2014a lofted drive over extra cover\u2014which he later singled out. \u201cIt was probably my favourite shot of the day for sure,\u201d Padikkal said.<\/p>\n
Padikkal also framed his innings as strategic rather than reckless. \u201cAt the end of the day, I need to play according to the situation and assess what\u2019s 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,\u201d 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.<\/p>\n
Virat Kohli provided the steadying presence with a composed 81, but Padikkal\u2019s more aggressive spell ensured RCB never slipped behind the required run rate. Even though he was eventually dismissed\u2014bowled by a sharp googly from Rashid\u2014the platform he created proved decisive for the chase.<\/p>\n
Looking ahead, Padikkal said he wants to play an even bigger role in finishing matches. \u201cI want to help finish games, so hopefully I can do that soon,\u201d he said, adding that the squad\u2019s batting depth gives him license to express himself at the top. \u201cWe\u2019ve 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,\u201d Padikkal added.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Devdutt Padikkal\u2019s return to form kept gathering momentum as he struck a brisk 55 from 27 balls, helping Royal Challengers Bengaluru record a five-wicket triumph…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":5038,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_yoast_wpseo_title":"IPL 2026: Devdutt Padikkal 55 Helps RCB vs GT Win","_yoast_wpseo_metadesc":"Devdutt Padikkal\u2019s fiery 55 sparks RCB\u2019s five-wicket win over GT in IPL 2026\u2014hear how hard work and team backing powered his return to form.","footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5039","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-ipl"],"yoast_head":"\n