Royal Challengers Bangalore mentor Dinesh Karthik has expressed strong support for Devdutt Padikkal, highlighting the left-handed batsman’s impressive form as he pushes for a place in the Indian T20I squad. Karthik praised Padikkal’s composure and consistent performances under pressure, which shows that it will be difficult for the selectors to ignore him in an already talent-laden squad.

Padikkal has started IPL 2026 season with back-to-back fifties for RCB. Against Chennai Super Kings on Sunday, he recovered from a slow start to score a half-century in 29 balls, which helped RCB made a record score of 250 runs in 20 oversHis highest against the five-time champions. In the opening match against Sunrisers Hyderabad, he played a more aggressive innings, scoring 61 runs off 21 balls, which included four sixes.

“In our view he is not off the radar,” Karthik told GeoHotstar after RCB’s 43-run win over CSK on Sunday.

“First and foremost is his determination. He is very determined in what he wants to do. On a pitch like this, when a batsman doesn’t get going – especially after playing an innings as he did in the first game – it is very easy to look for a big shot and bowl it away. You think you are batting well and just need to add one, but that often leads to something unnecessary. The courage he showed when the going was difficult at the start was really commendable. Once he hits his first boundary, he flips the switch.”

“He is batting in such a way that I am not sure you can keep him out of the Indian team for very long. He is playing proper cricket shots and hitting the ball from a distance. He is a proper Test player and has scored more than 2,000 runs this season,” he said.

Asked where Padikkal could fit into the senior national team – given the depth of the team that won the T20 World Cup last month – Karthik described it as a “good headache” for the selectors. He said that when the team is selected after IPL 2026, Karnataka’s batsmen will definitely be a part of the conversation.

Karthik also emphasized that Padikkal’s contribution goes beyond his batting. The 25-year-old, who captained Karnataka in the last domestic season, is emerging as a strong voice within the leadership group.

“That’s the challenge where to fit him in. But he has to be a part of the conversation. He is as good as any other player. It’s a big stage and he is coming forward to do whatever the team needs. He is the leader of the Karnataka team and that is evident in the dressing room as well. He is open, shares his thoughts and as a support staff, we have enjoyed having him as a leader within the group,” Karthik said.

a roller coaster ride

At the age of 25, Padikkal has already experienced significant ups and downs in his career. Even his stellar performance with RCB in IPL 2025—247 runs in 10 matches—was cut short due to injury.

This brilliant left-handed player had a brilliant performance Nearly derailed due to debilitating chronic intestinal condition and frequent stomach infections, which seriously affected his health between 2021 and 2023. At the peak of his illness – which was compounded by COVID-19 – Padikkal lost almost 10 kilograms in weight and suffered such extreme fatigue that he often struggled to get off the field after batting. This period of physical weakness led to a sharp decline in both his IPL and domestic performances, raising doubts whether his early promise would be fulfilled. However, through a rigorous recovery process that included strict changes in diet and a tailored fitness regime, he made a remarkable comeback by the end of 2023 and made his Test debut in 2024.

In the last two years, Padikkal has been performing brilliantly in domestic 50-over cricket. In the 2025–26 Vijay Hazare Trophy, he scored 725 runs in 10 matches at an average of 90. This was followed by an impressive performance in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, where he scored 309 runs in six matches at an average of over 60 and a strike rate close to 180.

His red-ball form – 543 runs at an average of 61 in six Ranji Trophy matches – is likely to bring him back to the Test list. However, a strong IPL season is crucial if he is to stake his claim for selection in India’s T20I squad.

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