Cricket
Cricket
11 things about Devdutt Padikkal that every cricket fan should know
The young batsman for Rajasthan Royals opens up about his career so far and plans for the future in a new series called Greatness Starts Here.
Devdutt Padikkal was a marquee signing for Rajasthan Royals in the 2022 auction.
After a long bidding war involving the franchise teams of Mumbai, Bengaluru and Rajasthan, the Royals were eventually successful in securing his signature for a winning bid of Rs 7.75 crore.
The 21-year-old comes with a wealth of experience and achievements. He finished the 2019 domestic season as top run-scorer in both the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and Vijay Hazare Trophy. He followed it up with a half-century on debut in IPL 2020 while playing for the Bengaluru team. He finished that season by winning the award for Emerging Player of the Season. An India team call-up was on the cards and Devdutt made his senior international debut in a T20I against Sri Lanka in July 2021.
He recently featured in a podcast series titled Greatness Starts Here in which he discussed his life and career as a cricketer, and what he hopes to achieve in future. Listen to the podcast episode and read excerpts from his chat with Suhail Chandhok below.
01
Devdutt credits his success to a steady, natural progression in youth cricket
While some cricketers scale up quickly from their youth days to professional cricket, Devdutt feels he was able to adapt better to the sport by going through all the age levels in domestic cricket.
“From my under 14 days, I've always gone at a steady pace while progressing through each age group. I really had a holistic way to get to the top; I've not been in a situation that I was suddenly thrown into the deep end or suddenly skipped a level. I think I had that proper progression over the years and that's what really helped me,” says Devdutt.
02
The under-19 level helped define Devdutt as a cricketer
While he was certain about wanting to be a professional cricketer by then, a change in perspective while playing for the Karnataka under-19 team helped Devdutt become the cricketer he is today.
“Under-14 is when – once I played for the (Karnataka) state junior team – I actually thought that I can take up cricket as a career option; until then I was just playing for fun. And then I obviously had a blip in terms of performances in under-16 and under-19, because it gets really tough at that point.
“The competition is really high and there's a lot of pressure around selection. And that's when I learned the whole concept of trying not to focus on selections, which really changed me as a cricketer to be honest. Once I got out of that mind-set that I have to get selected, or that I have to play in the Under-19 Cricket World Cup, I felt that I really improved as a cricketer from there on.”
Devdutt Padikkal during a training session for Rajasthan Royals
© Rajasthan Royals
03
His role with Bellary Tuskers in Karnataka Premier League helped him learn how to lead by example
Devdutt was picked up by Bellary Tuskers in 2017 and has had some match-winning performances for them in the Karnataka Premier League (KPL) over the years.
“The KPL experience was really important for me because it was a really high-quality tournament. We had some crunch games in which I felt that I was able to really perform for the side when it mattered.
“That's something I try to carry forward into the IPL as well – just taking that responsibility for the team and trying to be the main man who gets the team over the line. So I feel that was a really big stepping stone for me.”
04
Bio-bubbles over the last two years have made the introvert Devdutt step out of his shell
In the past, Devdutt has enjoyed exploring the cities where he is playing, which eventually means that he spends a lot of time by himself. But the past two years have been different.
“Bio-bubbles have been a huge challenge for me. They have made me talk to a lot of people and open up a lot more. But I think one of the advantages of being in a bubble is that I’ve been able to connect well with my teammates. The bubble has helped me change as an introvert. I started making stronger connections.”
Devdutt Padikkal during a training session for Rajasthan Royals
© Rajasthan Royals
05
He’s been taking fitness much seriously since getting advice from Virat Kohli
While in a bio-bubble, Devdutt has had more opportunities to pick the brains of his seniors for advice. He has cherished interactions with the likes of Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers.
“The conversations were both about life and cricket. One of the things that Virat Kohli told me which has stuck with me is that cricket has evolved so much over time. He said it is now 50% fitness and 50% skill. So I’ve been trying to maintain good fitness since he said that.”
06
His first IPL hundred made him feel like he had come of age as a cricketer
Devdutt scored his first IPL century against Rajasthan Royals when playing for the Bengaluru franchise in 2021. His 101 not out batting alongside Virat Kohli helped his team to a stellar 10-wicket victory and has been one of his greatest achievements in his career so far.
“It's an incredible feeling. When you get a hundred in any team in any tournament in any match, the feeling when you're back in the dressing room, it’s a feeling of pure satisfaction. And to have people like AB (de Villiers), VK (Kohli), (Glenn) Maxwell and coach Simon Katich, appreciating my performance is all I could ask for as a youngster in the team. One thing I remember very clearly was that Virat Kohli was being followed by a video camera, and he told the camera person, ‘Go to Devdutt; he's the main man today.’ That memory just gives me goosebumps.”
Devdutt Padikkal during a training session for Rajasthan Royals
© Rajasthan Royals
07
Devdutt considers his India senior debut as the biggest achievement of his life so far
At the young age of 21, Devdutt has already achieved quite a few feats on the field. But one clearly stands out as his personal favourite.
“Playing for India is the biggest achievement I could ask for. Playing cricket for your country is the ultimate goal for every cricketer so that was definitely the biggest moment in my life and my career.
“Wearing those India colours, putting on that cap, and playing for all the Indian fans – it was an experience that I will never forget.”
08
He cherishes his bond with his school friends to help keep him grounded
While Devdutt aims for greatness in the cricket world, he also appreciates a support system outside of cricket.
“The relationship I share with my school friends is very important to me. To have friends outside cricket was something that I consciously wanted to do. They don't have that kind of distinct knowledge about the game so we are not always talking about cricket. I like being around them because I can then just switch off and relax. They are also my harshest critics and always remind me where I've come from.”
09
He’s interested in learning how to manage his finances and grow himself as a brand
Devdutt says that while he has enjoyed monetary success through cricket, he hasn’t splurged much. So far, his biggest spends have been to make his family’s living conditions more comfortable.
“Right now I really want to understand investment planning because it's fascinating. I also want to learn how to grow as a brand just as I’m growing as a cricketer. It's a really important aspect of cricket these days to maximize the short career that we have.”
10
He has a clear idea of what he wants to achieve in cricket
When asked what a successful cricket career would look like, Devdutt had a clear answer in mind.
“In an ideal world, I want to win a trophy for every possible tournament that I play in. That means the World Cup and the IPL, and obviously the World Test Championship as well.”
11
His personal bucket list includes buying a car and traveling the world
While he continues to achieve success in his cricket career, he has set personal goals to learn more every six months by traveling around the world.
“I want to buy a car; haven’t decided which one yet. Also, I want to travel more because we couldn't do that the last two years. Once everything is back to normal, I would really like to explore the world.”
