After a rollercoaster 2025, Devdutt Padikkal is firmly back in the headlines—this time, for the right reasons. The stylish left-hander made a strong return to competitive cricket with scores of 57 and 16* in the Duleep Trophy semifinal for South Zone, reigniting the conversation around his place in India’s red-ball setup.
Padikkal began the year on a high, smashing a century in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, and earned a big-ticket return to Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the IPL 2025 auction for INR 2 crores. His revamped approach at the crease paid early dividends, as he notched up 247 runs across 10 innings, including two half-centuries, at a strike rate of 150.60. However, his campaign was cut short by a hamstring injury—an unfortunate blow that sidelined him just as RCB broke their title drought.
Now fully fit, Padikkal is ready to pick up from where he left off.
“You know, every game that you play, especially for India, is very important. We have a few home Test series coming up. I’m looking forward to making a mark in the A series to hopefully stake a claim for that team as well,” Padikkal said in a recent conversation with ESPNcricinfo.
The 23-year-old’s return couldn’t be more timely. With India’s No.3 spot still up for grabs in the Test side, Padikkal’s name is back in serious contention. His past performances support the case: a composed 65 on debut against England last year and a gritty knock in challenging conditions at Perth when Shubman Gill was unavailable. While the runs weren’t always flowing in bucketloads, his temperament stood out.
His recent omission from the India A tour to England was purely due to injury. In his absence, players like Sai Sudharsan and Karun Nair were tried, but their performances were modest, leaving the door open once again for Padikkal.
His Duleep Trophy outing shows he’s hungry and match-ready. A strong showing in the upcoming India A series, particularly against a competitive Australia A squad, could be the final push he needs to return to the national fold.
Padikkal’s versatility, experience in domestic cricket, and growing maturity make him a compelling option. With a spot at No.3 still unclaimed, it’s fair to say: if he keeps scoring, the selectors may find it hard to ignore him any longer.
