Days after returning from Australia, Devdutt Padikkal smashes century against Krunal Pandya's Baroda to maintain 80-plus average

Days after returning from Australia, Devdutt Padikkal smashes century against Krunal Pandya's Baroda to maintain 80-plus average
Devdutt Padikkal celebrates his century against Baroda in Vijay Hazare Trophy 2024-25.

Story Highlights:

Devdutt Padikkal scored his ninth List A century.

Padikkal hit two sixes in his century.

Padikkal scored 102 runs from 99 balls.

Part of the India A's shadow tour of Australia, asked to stay back after Shubman Gill's finger injury and not given a chance after Perth Test in Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25, Devdutt Padikkal announced his arrival in India with a century in Vijay Hazare Trophy 2024-25 knockout game. At Moti Bagh, Vadodra, Padikkal scored a century after Karnataka captain Mayank Agarwal fell early in the knockout clash on January 11.

Padikkal opened the innings alongside Agarwal. In the powerplay overs, he found boundaries with precision and kept the scoring rate up while Aneesh KV took his time. He reached his century in the 29th over of the innings. He took 96 deliveries to reach the milestone. This is the 24-year-old's ninth century in the frmat where he averages more than 80.

In the 32nd over, Padikkal was dismissed by Raj Limbani. His knock of 102 runs from 99 balls was laced with 15 fours and a couple of sixes. Before dismissing Padikkal, Limbani also got the wicket of Aneesh who scored 52 runs from 64 balls. Padikkal and Aneesh shared a 133-run partnership for the second wicket.

After Padikkal's dismissal, no Karnatka batter could go on to get a big score. Cameos from Abhinav Manohar, Shreyas Gopal followed by Prasidh Krishna's unbeaten run-a-ball 12 helped Karnataka post 281/8. Limbani and Atit Sheth picked up three wickets each.

Padikkal is one of the few players from Border-Gavaskar Trophy squad to play in Vijay Hazare Trophy knockout games.

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Padikkal's last One-Day cricket appearance

Padikkal's last List A appearance was for Karnataka against Chandigarh in the previous edition of the tournament. Batting at no.3, he scored 114 runs from 103 balls. Karnataka beat Chandigarh won by 22 runs.

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Padikkal's run in Australia

In the first game for India A in Australia, he followed by a 36-run knock with 88. In the second first-class game, he registered scores of 26 and 1. He got a chance to play in Perth in the series opener ahead of Abhimanyu Easwaran. In the first innings, the southpaw was dismissed for a 23-ball duck by Josh Hazlewood. In the second innings, he scored 25 runs from 71 balls. Once again, he was dismissed by Hazlewood. In the pink-ball warm-up game against Prime Minister's XI, he remained unbeaten for four runs. After Gill recovered, Padikkal did not get another chance in the series.