BENGALURU: Devdutt Padikkal\u2019s ascent in the current IPL has been driven by more than just the runs he\u2019s been scoring; it\u2019s also coming with a sharper understanding of the game\u2019s moving parts\u2014match situations, opposition bowlers, and the way his own approach needs to evolve ball by ball. After producing a decisive 55 off 27 deliveries in Royal Challengers Bengaluru\u2019s five-wicket triumph over Gujarat Titans on Friday at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Padikkal linked his progress to a new responsibility he\u2019s embraced off the field: captaining Karnataka.<\/p>\n
Speaking at the post-match press conference, Padikkal explained that the captaincy role has widened his view of what happens during a contest. \u201cBeing a captain has definitely given me a different perspective on the game,\u201d he said. He added that it has made him more deliberate in reading the contest\u2014how bowlers are thinking, and how captains on the field weigh options and anticipate phases of play.<\/p>\n
That change was visible in the way he shaped his innings alongside Virat Kohli during a chase that demanded urgency from the outset. Padikkal came in early in a steep pursuit, showed intent from the beginning, and then picked his moments to attack while still keeping RCB ahead of the required run rate.<\/p>\n
Padikkal believes the added duties have helped sharpen his choices during pressure moments. \u201cIt gives me a little more understanding as to the situation that I\u2019m in and how I need to respond,\u201d he said. He also suggested that leadership has allowed him to fine-tune different elements of his T20 skillset, resulting in a more rounded batter.<\/p>\n
The youngster was also quick to push back against the idea that his improvement has been sudden. Instead, he framed his current form as the continuation of work already underway. \u201cThe conversations around me being different have been going on for far too long. This is who I am now,\u201d Padikkal said. \u201cYou find things you need to work on and you keep improving.\u201d<\/p>\n
He acknowledged that technical adjustments are often required when switching formats, particularly when moving from red-ball cricket to the demands of white-ball games. \u201cIf you compare my Ranji Trophy batting to here, you can clearly see the changes,\u201d he added. Even so, he stressed that the core belief stays constant: \u201cThe self-belief and confidence need to stay the same.\u201d<\/p>\n
Padikkal also pointed to the value of learning day to day from Virat Kohli, noting the impact of sharing the dressing room with one of the sport\u2019s benchmark players.<\/p>\n
In a separate note, Gujarat Titans assistant coach Vijay Dahiya revealed that Kohli was disappointed not to reach a century despite making a match-influencing contribution of 8 runs. Dahiya said Kohli felt he could have converted the knock into a hundred. \u201cAfter the game, he (Kohli) was saying he could\u2019ve converted it into a hundred. That tells you about his mindset,\u201d Dahiya said. He added that Kohli is not playing simply to prove a point to anyone, but rather focused on self-improvement\u2014\u201cIt\u2019s about the man in the mirror – trying to be better than yesterday.\u201d<\/p>\n
Padikkal\u2019s comments, following RCB\u2019s win at M Chinnaswamy Stadium, further underline how his captaincy experience and learning environment are shaping his T20 outlook\u2014turning raw aggression into smarter execution as the season progresses.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
BENGALURU: Devdutt Padikkal\u2019s ascent in the current IPL has been driven by more than just the runs he\u2019s been scoring; it\u2019s also coming with a…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":5390,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_yoast_wpseo_title":"Devdutt Padikkal IPL Rise: State Captaincy Impact","_yoast_wpseo_metadesc":"Devdutt Padikkal credits state captaincy for his sharper IPL mindset, explaining how matchups and ball-by-ball decisions are fueling his rise.","footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5392","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-ipl"],"yoast_head":"\n