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India's top-order batter Devdutt Padikkal recently returned to red-ball cricket after recovering from hamstring injury he sustained during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025. The Karnataka batter opened up on the tough period where he was starting his rehabilitation while Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) were on a dream run, eventually winning their maiden IPL title.
"Obviously, the first couple of weeks were the hardest," Padikkal told ESPNCricinfo. "Because you have to come to terms [with the fact] that you are not going to be playing much cricket for a month or so. And especially watching the IPL from home was a bit challenging.
"I would have loved to be a part of that side, winning the trophy. That is the first couple of weeks and after that, again, you just switch into that zone of trying to get better.
"During rehab, it gives you a lot of time to just focus on yourself in terms of what you need to work on. Because during a season, it is very hard to really give that time to yourself to look at the specific areas that you need to work on. So during my rehab, I was just looking to find things that I struggled with during the season physically and in terms of my technique, and trying to see how I can make that adjustment going into the next season.
"So, I feel I used that very well during those couple of months. I am really happy where I am at now."
Padikkal wants a spot in Test squad vs West Indies
Padikkal who walked into the side as injury replacement during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25, was not available for selection for the England tour. But now, he wants his spot back in the Test squad ahead of the West Indies series at home. He will look to make a comeback via the India A home series against Australia A starting on September 16 in Lucknow where he will play under Shreyas Iyer’s captaincy.
"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. But at the same time, you have to just go out there and bat,” said the 25-year-old batter.
"I really enjoyed batting here in red-ball cricket. And just more opportunities to play red-ball cricket are always welcome."
Padikkal has played two Tests for India so far. He made his Test debut against England last year. In the opening Test of Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 at Perth Stadium, he could not register a big score even after getting his eye in. From two Tests, he has scored 90 runs, including a half-century on debut.
Padikkal scores fifty on comeback
In the Duleep Trophy 2025 semifinal, the South Zone batter scored 57 in the first innings and followed it up with an unbeaten 16 in the second. South Zone progressed to the final on the basis of first innings lead.
Padikkal’s T20 form
In the Maharaja T20 Trophy 2025, he led Hubli Tigers to the final where they lost to Shreyas Gopal's Mangalore Dragons. While he was dismissed cheaply in the final, he finished the tournament as highest run-scorer. From 12 games, he scored 449 runs at an average of 40.83 and strike rate of 154.83. He scored five half-centuries including an unbeaten 99.
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