Devdutt Padikkal: The new kid on the block

In a team, which is more popular for it has superstars like Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers, a young Devdutt Padikkal more than held his own, finishing the highest-run getter in the recently-concluded 13th edition of the Indian Premier League. The 20-year-old Karnataka southpaw has been in that kind of a zone which has seen him dominate every tournament that he has featured in over the last 12 months.

Opening for the Royal Challengers Bangalore, Padikkal stacked up 473 runs from 15 games. In a high-pressure tournament, he showed admirable calmness and unflinching character while opening the innings. The Emerging Player award was no more than a just reward for a stellar debut season.

Also see: 20 on 20 changemakers: Made of masterstroke

In a free-wheeling chat with DH, Padikkal speaks about his experience, learnings, and challenges while competing in IPL in the time of Covid-19. Excerpts:

How was the experience of being in a bio-bubble?

It was something different, something none of us has been in before. But I was extremely glad to play cricket again, regardless of the circumstances.

After six months of not doing much, the fact that we could go out and play cricket again, that too such a good tournament, was something great.

What were the adjustments you had to make from domestic cricket to IPL?

Maybe the bowlers were slightly quicker. The difference in pace wasn’t too much because there are some really quick bowlers in domestic cricket as well. To be honest, I enjoyed taking on the pace bowlers. To me, it was more about continuing the consistency I showed in domestic cricket. I wanted to not just transfer the run-scoring ability that I showed for Karnataka but also my mindset.

After a good start, RCB stumbled in the second half. What are your takeaways from the season?

There were lots of ups and downs in the season and through that period I learnt to remain level-headed. I also understood the demands of a long season. See, the standard of cricket in IPL is usually high and it puts you in tight situations. I enjoyed playing in those scenarios.

What was it like to play with somebody as great as Virat Kohli?

It was really great to have constant conversations with Virat. You understand the amount of drive and hunger he has for the game. He keeps pushing us to do better because he himself sets high standards. It was inspiring to just watch him and you automatically get motivated. He always wants to be the best in the business.

We didn’t see a long innings from you, though you looked set for one on many occasions. Did the hot conditions play a part in it?

It was really hot there. We hadn’t played much in the last six months to smoothly adjust to the UAE weather. To an extent, it comes down to your fitness as well. Because the grounds were slightly bigger -- apart from Sharjah — so there was a lot of running to be done. Especially when you are batting with players like Virat or AB (de Villiers), who tend to turn every single into a two or a three. But if I have to play at the highest level, I have to get used to it. That’s something I will definitely be working on.

From being recognised as a promising domestic cricketer, you have now received international fame...

I try not to look at social media too much but at the end of the season, I realised there was a lot of craze about me. Even in the IPL, whenever I spoke to someone, be it, players, or coaches, they spoke highly of me. That definitely makes you feel happy that you have made an impact this season. But I understand that praise is just a part of the game. You get praised but it won’t take much time for people to criticise you as well. So it’s important to be level-headed.

In these times of anxiety and fear due to a pandemic, how does it feel to bring joy to people through your performances?

The IPL came at the right time. It turned out to be an interesting edition. Yes, things have not been great otherwise. People are forced to sit at home. Many are suffering as well. It feels nice to have put up a good show for everyone out there. I am sure it got smiles to many.