Devdutt Padikkal has made huge waves in the domestic circuit with the willow. The Karnataka batsman was drafted into the Royal Challengers Bangalore setup during the 2019 IPL auction for a base price of INR 20 Lakhs. Devdutt played a pivotal role in Karnataka's 2019 Vijay Hazare Trophy and Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy triumphant campaigns.

The Karnataka opener has displayed an exuberant form since August 2019, amassing 2082 runs in 40 matches with an exceptional average of 52.05 across all the formats. The numbers speak for themselves about the potential Devudutt Padikkal possesses.

During an interview with Deccan Herald, the 20-year-old spoke about the immense pleasure of representing Bengaluru's own RCB team.

“The turnaround in a year has been magical,” said Padikkal in an interaction with DH. “It’s been a long wait but I hope I will be able to continue my good run in this IPL,” he added.

“Being from Bengaluru, I have grown up watching RCB. It’s always been my dream to represent RCB,” he admitted. “Fans from Karnataka are amazing. They really get behind you. During the domestic season, I have realised how they want to see the players.”

Head Coach Simon Katich, too, was fascinated by Devdutt's batting prowess and thinks he has a promising future ahead of him.

“He is got a bright future, not just in cricket but the way he thinks about the game and what he has learnt from the mental skill point of view,” RCB coach Simon Katich had recently said about Padikkal.

Devdutt Padikkal concluded by saying, “The biggest challenge will be to enjoy the game instead of thinking too much about the situation we are in now. In a crisis, I want to be the one who moves the team forward. I want to take the pressure that comes with IPL.” 

[With Deccan Herald Inputs]