Karnataka captaincy made me better T20 batter: Devdutt Padikkal

Devdutt Padikkal credited his stint as captain of the Karnataka cricket team and some tactical tweaks for sharpening his game awareness and aiding his evolution into a more complete T20 batter.

Padikkal was speaking after Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s win over Gujarat Titans in the Indian Premier League here on Friday, in which he played a key role alongside Virat Kohli and their bowling unit.

Padikkal said leadership responsibilities at the domestic level have given him a deeper understanding of match situations and opposition tactics.

“Definitely, I think being a captain has given me a different perspective of the game. It makes you think a lot more about how a bowler thinks, how captains are thinking on the field, what they might look to do.  “That has helped me refine parts of my game and respond better to situations,” he said at the post-match press conference.

“It gives me a little bit more of an understanding as to the situation that I’m in and how I need to respond. So yeah, I guess being the captain of Karnataka has definitely contributed in a positive way.”

The left-hander, who has shown marked improvement in his white-ball approach, added that his transformation is part of a natural progression. “I think it’s time we forget the previous version. This is who I am now. You identify areas to improve and keep working on them,” he said.

Padikkal heaped praise on the great Kohli for the kind of intensity with which he plays the game despite achieving almost everything cricket could offer. His big partnership with Kohli sealed the issue in RCB’s favour as they completed a chase of 206 with seven balls to spare.

He said Kohli’s intensity and passion rub off on others in the dressing room.

“I think the biggest thing for me is his energy and intensity that he brings to every single game, every single net session. Although he’s achieved everything that is there to be achieved in this game, he still continues to give his 100 per cent in every single practice session and every single match that he plays. And that kind of commitment is very hard to find.

“And when you see someone really so driven and so passionate about the game, it really rubs off on everybody in the side as well. So I’m sure his energy is helping everyone in the team,” Padikkal said.

He also credited the RCB environment for supporting his growth.

“Since joining RCB, the management has been really good in giving me direction and a pathway. The environment in the group has been special,” he noted.

He pointed out that technical adjustments while transitioning from red-ball to T20 cricket have played a crucial role.

“If you compare my Ranji Trophy batting with IPL, you can clearly see the changes. But the belief and confidence remain the same,” he explained.

Speaking about the match, Padikkal said RCB’s bowlers did well at the death to keep GT in check.

“The last three overs (towards the end) were really important. We felt they were 15-20 runs short, which gave us confidence going into the chase,” he said.

However, he acknowledged the need to address middle-order collapses.

“Losing three or four wickets in a cluster is something we need to sharpen. We could have finished the game earlier,” he admitted.

On RCB’s chasing template, Padikkal stressed the importance of staying ahead of the required rate.

“If the rate is 10, we try to go at 11 or 12, especially in the powerplay. That cushion helps if wickets fall,” he said, adding that such an approach reflects the demands of modern T20 cricket.

Padikkal also expressed satisfaction with his own performance, particularly his ability to clear the ropes.

“The biggest plus for me was the sixes. I hit six sixes, which is not very common for me. That was quite special,” he added.