No room for complacency: Devdutt Padikkal spills beans on his batting mantra

A sure-footed batting technique backed with his acrobatic acts on the field - Devdutt Padikkal gave us a radiant glimpse of his tremendous potential during the Dream11 IPL. 

IPL history is cluttered with tales of youngsters stamping their authority on a big stage. The league furnishes an opportunity for the promising cricketers to get a taste of competitive cricket. Since its inception, the Indian Premier League has grown from strength to strength. But not many completely identify the strapline engraved on the trophy. Yatra Pratibha Avsara Prapnotihi - a Sanskrit phrase that signifies 'Talent meets opportunity', is vividly seen on the silverware. Aaron Finch, Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers - in a team that has the most number of match-winners combined, it would have been a far fetched thought that a youngster would lord over them. As it transpired, the 20-year-old ended up with a staggering 474 runs, outscoring all his teammates.

Staying complacent about accomplishments constrains an athlete's growth. The athlete must assure that the vision of pushing oneself beyond the boundaries of comfort does not slip through the cracks. Devdutt, however, believes that it's important not to get bogged down by success. 

“There’s a long way to go for me and there’s so much I have to improve upon. It’s just the beginning. Virat helped me along the way in terms of how to build innings. He asked me to continue to work hard and not let success affect me. Keep pushing ahead and keep improving is what he told me, and that’s what I am going to do. ” - Devdutt was quoted as saying to India Today. 

A striking feature of the southpaw has been his ability to adapt, from someone who plays a perfect foil, to one who can take on any bowling attack with his wide range of shots. IPL has allowed several youngsters to rub shoulders with the well-established cricketers. The experience they derive by playing alongside a few stalwarts is invaluable. It has definitely fast-tracked the growth of youngsters. 

"I have learnt a lot with so many senior players around. It has changed my mindset as to how to deal with a lot of situations. They (senior players) keep themselves stable throughout the season regardless of how the team is performing and would focus on the process and not on the result." - Devdutt added. 

[India Today input]