Throwback - When Devdutt Padikkal asserted dominance over Haryana bowling

29 Aug, 2020 By Editor

Devdutt Padikkal, a belligerent batsman whose repertory of shots often reminds of Yuvraj Singh, made inroads into the Karnataka set-up in the 2018 Vijay Hazare Trophy. Considering the amount of competitiveness ingrained in the Karnataka dressing room, the youngster remained in the fringes for quite a long time. He exhibited intermittent spurts of his batting prowess the following year, but it wasn't enough to cement his place in the star-studded line-up. In life, it is very pervasive to endure undesirable emotions, particularly after having missed a number of opportunities. With a lot of emotions lurking in the mind, the individual, in his best interest, should have to look at the wider picture of benefiting from occurrences to remain better equipped as and when the next opportunity emerges.

Chasing a formidable 194 set by Haryana never seemed straightforward, given the intricacy that arises during the knockout games. If anyone were to pin hopes on a team chasing this total, it had to be a star-studded Karnataka batting line-up with a martini of the young and experienced lot. And, the inevitable occurred. Devdutt Padikkal, undeterred by the pressure of the semi-finals, launched an assault on the highly experienced Haryana bowling group, comprising Amit Mishra, Yuzvendra Chahal and Jayant Yadav. Cover drives, square cuts, and slog sweeps - the southpaw displayed all the array of shots in the armour, making him a compelling package to have in any side. Devdutt's 42-ball 87, laced with 11 boundaries and 4 maximums, had steered Karnataka to the final of Syed Mushtaq Ali for the second consecutive time. 

In a team that contains stalwarts armed with a surplus of experience, it would be a far-fetched thought that a teenager would predominantly pioneer the team to the second successive title. The semi-final knock left a profound impact to an extent that Harsha Bhogle was also blown by the youngster's skill sets.