'Will be difficult to keep him out of the Indian team': Dinesh Karthik's honest take on Devdutt Padikkal after RCB's win goes viral

Royal Challengers Bengaluru batting coach and mentor Dinesh Karthik feels that Devdutt Padikkal is in such good form in IPL 2026 that it may soon be hard to keep him out of the Indian national team.

Dinesh Karthik lauds Devdutt Padikkal

Padikkal played a strong knock of 50 runs off just 29 balls, marking his second fifty in a row this season. His innings gave RCB a solid start, helping them reach a massive total of 250/3 against Chennai Super Kings at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. RCB went on to win the match by 43 runs.

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“The first thing that stands out is his determination. On a pitch like this, when runs don’t come easily at the start, many batters try to force a big shot and end up giving their wicket away. Devdutt showed great courage to stay patient when the going was tough.

“Once he got that first boundary, you could see him switch gears. He’s playing proper cricketing shots and hitting the ball with distance. If he continues batting like this, it will be difficult to keep him out of the Indian team for long. He has scored heavily in domestic cricket and we know he’s a quality player.

“What’s also impressive is the way he’s stepping up as a leader in the Karnataka dressing room. Even at 25, he contributes with his ideas and leadership, and that’s great to see,” said Karthik on JioStar.

Dinesh Karthik for Tim David

RCB also got a big boost from Tim David, who smashed an unbeaten 70 runs off just 25 balls, including eight sixes.

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“Tim David is an extremely gifted ball striker. He has a very smooth swing, long levers and all the ingredients required to hit big shots. For him, it’s about ensuring those elements remain consistent in practice.

“Because he bats in the middle order, he often gets fewer balls in a match compared to top-order batters. So, in the nets, it’s important that he faces enough deliveries and stays in a good rhythm. The rest of his game is already very strong. Over the last 12–18 months, he has been one of the most consistent batters in the world in this format,” added Karthik.