Padikkal lays down the marker with daddy hundred

The last 18 months were harrowing for Devdutt Padikkal and it all started in the middle of 2022. Having just established himself as one of the bright young talents in the country following splendid shows for Karnataka across formats that even earned him an India debut in the T20I series against Sri Lanka in 2021, Padikkal was hit by an intestinal illness that put paid to his plans of taking the next big leap.

Getting himself ready for the 2022-23 season following a decent stint with Rajasthan Royals in the IPL where he scored 376 runs in 17 games, the southpaw noticed that he was losing weight unnaturally. He initially thought it was a natural process because of the heavy training athletes undergo but when extreme fatigue started creeping in, he knew something was wrong.

He got the required tests done and found out that he was suffering from an acute intestinal problem that needed intense treatment. So when the domestic season kicked off, instead of being out batting for big runs he was battling in and out of hospital trying to find a cure that took its own time. Result: he missed the entire 2022 Vijay Hazare Trophy and played just five Ranji Trophy matches where he managed just 260 runs. The illness and lack of proper training started to take a toll on him further and it showed in the 2023 IPL where he scored just 261 runs for RR.

He wanted to make amends and start afresh in the Deodhar Trophy but after scoring 19 runs in three games, he suffered a thumb fracture that ruled him out of the tournament as well as the Maharaja KSCA T20 Trophy. It took time for wounds to heal and then he targeted the 2023-24 season. The Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Trophy didn’t go as per plans as he managed just 119 in 5 matches but he found his range in the Vijay Hazare Trophy where he top scored for Karnataka (465 runs in just 5 matches).

A player who values the whites more than the colours, it was the Ranji Trophy that was his main target and the huge sigh of relief was evident when he scored his third first-class century here at the KSCA Stadium on Saturday, removing his helmet and leaping almost like Aussie great David Warner. All the pent up emotion was let go.

“Those two years were pretty frustrating more than anything else,” Padikkal said after scoring a career-best 193 that has put Karnataka in a dominant position in their Ranji Trophy opener against Punjab. “I knew that I was batting pretty well before that. I was feeling good about my game. It so happened that I wasn’t able to contribute to my side which is always frustrating for me. This year I want to make sure I help the team, try and win games for them. That’s all I’ve been looking to do. My relief was more to do with the fact that I was able to put my team in a commanding position and from there we can look forward to winning it.”

There was a perceptible change in his batting approach too. Unlike his usual self where he takes time at the start and then balances aggression and caution as the innings progresses, he batted briskly right throughout the innings. His 193 came off just 216 balls, the knock containing 24 boundaries and 4 sixes.

When asked if he’s changing his batting style considering the focus on ‘strike rate’ by the Indian think-tank nowadays, Padikkal said his aim is to play positive cricket.

“My aim was to just have a positive mindset throughout the innings. I knew that they have a good bowling attack and whenever I was given that opportunity, I wanted to make sure that I cash in. I got a few loose balls early on, I was able to get runs off it. I haven’t changed anything in terms of intent but I just want to make sure whenever I get those loose balls I put it away. That’s how Ranji Trophy works, you have to put those loose balls away.”

Padikkal has made the start he wanted, it’s now all about carrying it on for the remainder of the season.