3 min readApr 25, 2026 07:45 AM IST
Devdutt Padikkal’s growing leadership role at the domestic level appears to be feeding directly into his evolution as a T20 batter, with the Karnataka captain crediting the added responsibility for sharpening his game awareness and decision-making at the crease.
Padikkal, appointed Karnataka’s Ranji Trophy captain during the 2025-26 season, pointed to how thinking like a leader has altered his perspective as an opener, helping him better read situations and opposition plans.
“Yeah, definitely. I think being a captain has definitely given me a different perspective of the game. It’s made me think a lot more about how a bowler thinks, how captains are thinking on the field, what they might look to do,” he said.
“That kind of thought process has definitely helped me find parts of my game and refine it a lot more. 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 reflections came after Padikkal’s brisk 55 off 27 balls for Royal Challengers Bengaluru against Gujarat Titans at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Friday, an innings that set the tone for RCB’s successful 206-run chase.
His early assault ensured RCB stayed ahead of the asking rate in the powerplay, forming the platform for Virat Kohli’s anchoring 81 off 44, in a partnership that effectively dictated the outcome of the contest.
While Kohli was named Player of the Match, Padikkal reserved special praise for batting alongside him, highlighting the consistency and intensity the senior batter brings to every aspect of the game.
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“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 percent in every single practice session and every single match that he plays. And that kind of commitment is very hard to find,” he said.
“And when you see someone really so driven and so passionate about the game, it really rubs off to everybody in the side as well. So I’m sure his energy is helping everyone in the team,” Padikkal added.
