IPL 2020 | Scoring tons of runs in domestic cricket was a huge confidence booster, reveals Devdutt Padikkal

With 473 runs to his name, 19-year-old Devdutt Padikkal took IPL 2020 by storm, turning out to be a standout batsman in an RCB side that boasted some of the greats of the game. In his campaign, which was also incidentally his first-ever in the IPL, the youngster struck five fifties, including a high score of 74, and was rightfully named as the competition’s “Emerging Player” for his incredible feat. However, for those who followed Padikkal’s journey prior to the IPL, his feats in the T20 extravaganza came as anything but a surprise as the southpaw had shown the same level of expertise in the domestic circuit back home.

“That was important for me because through that, I knew I was capable of scoring big runs and being consistent. I just had to make sure I transferred the confidence, process and mindset from the domestic circuit to the IPL.”

"Within the Karnataka team, we have the likes of KL Rahul, Manish Pandey, Mayank Agarwal and Karun Nair. I knew they were bigger players (than me) but I had to make sure I took responsibility and performed. Even in the IPL, irrespective of who I was batting with, I had to make sure I took the responsibility of putting the team in a strong position. That said, it helps to have such players around. Their experience of handling every situation helped me throughout the season."

Playing in the IPL, in itself, was a special experience for Padikkal, but getting to bat alongside Indian skipper Virat Kohli made his time in the UAE surreal. Through the course of the season, the 19-year-old strung together many a valuable partnership with Kohli, who also always spoke highly of the 19-year-old. Padikkal revealed that it was an ‘amazing experience’ to be able to spend close to three months with an all-time-great like Kohli and wished to emulate the hunger and run-scoring thirst of the Indian skipper in the future.