Former Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) batter Devdutt Padikkal has made history by breaking the marks set by batting maestro Virat Kohli and young star Ruturaj Gaikwad in List A cricket. The Karnataka batter has solidified his place among India's most potential players with his outstanding performance in the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy 2024–25.
Devdutt Padikkal surpasses many superstar cricketers
Padikkal scored 86 runs off 113 balls, including eight fours and a six, in the semi-final match against Haryana. His innings helped Karnataka reach the competition's final by successfully chasing a target of 238 runs. Notably, Padikkal tied his own record from the 2021–22 season by scoring fifty or more points for the seventh time in a row throughout the competition.
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With an impressive average of 82.38, Padikkal has already surpassed players like Ruturaj Gaikwad (58.16), Michael Bevan (57.86), Virat Kohli (57.05), and AB de Villiers (53.47) to reach 2000 runs in List A cricket.
"It's a format I enjoy batting in, whenever I come back to bat for Karnataka it's always a pleasure. Look to get on the front foot, it was keeping low and both me and Smaran were able to get the singles away and keep the scorecard going. Try to move your body towards the ball, if you hang back then you will be in trouble and I felt that he [Smaran] batted beautifully through that phase. It's always great to have that [100] but as long as Karnataka is winning I'm happy," said Padikkal who won the Player of the Match for his knock.
Padikkal played against the Prime Minister's XI during a recent tour of Australia with the India A team, which gave him the chance to play in the Perth Test. Padikkal was allowed to enter the playing XI when Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill were not available. But he was unable to take advantage of the chance, scoring 0 and 25 in the first Test of the five-match series.