Male Cricketer
Devdutt Padikkal, born on July 7, 2000, is an emerging Indian cricketer with a promising career. Hailing from Edappal, Kerala, he relocated to Bangalore in 2011 and began training at the Karnataka Institute of Cricket. His cricketing journey kicked off with representing Karnataka in under-16 and under-19 categories, followed by his debut for Bellary Tuskers in the Karnataka Premier League in 2017.
Padikkal's domestic cricket career was marked by notable achievements. He made his first-class debut for Karnataka in the 2018–19 Ranji Trophy and showcased impressive skills. His abilities led to him being bought by Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the 2019 Indian Premier League (IPL) player auction. He quickly established himself in the IPL, becoming the first player to score three fifties in his first four matches.
His prowess continued to shine as he excelled in List A cricket, notably becoming the leading run-scorer in the 2019–20 Vijay Hazare Trophy. His impressive performances earned him a place in India A's squad for the 2019–20 Deodhar Trophy. In June 2021, Padikkal received his maiden international call-up for India's ODI and T20I squads against Sri Lanka. He made his T20I debut in July 2021, showcasing his skills on the international stage.
Padikkal's standout performance came in the IPL. He secured the Emerging Player Award in the 2020 IPL season, representing RCB. His debut IPL season saw him score 473 runs in 15 matches. In subsequent editions, he continued to impress, including scoring a century for RCB in the 2021 IPL.
In 2022, he joined the Rajasthan Royals in the IPL auction. His journey in the Ranji Trophy included his maiden first-class century. He crossed the milestone of scoring 1,000 runs in the IPL while playing for the Rajasthan Royals.
Padikkal's consistent performances, both in domestic and IPL cricket, have marked him as a rising star in Indian cricket, showcasing his potential to become a key player in the national team's future endeavors