Usually left-hand India batsman Devdutt Padikkal’s name is associated with the 50-over format, where in domestic List A competitions, he averages a whopping 81. But this year, he has been a revelation in the first-class cricket as well. While one talks about Sarfaraz Khan, Dhruv Jurel, and Rinku Singh, to make the Test team soon, Padikkal has quietly gone about his business, impressing one and all with his tons in Ranji Trophy and, India A matches against England Lions this year.
To start with, he slammed a mammoth 193 against Punjab, for Karnataka, in their opening Ranji match this season. After two comparatively low scores of 42 & 31 against Gujarat, he bounced back with yet another hundred, this time against Goa (103).
Now, playing for India A, he slammed another hundred on Thursday, 105 from 126 balls against England Lions, at Ahmedabad. That means, the 23-year-old has three tons in four first-class matches in 2024, a record better than Mr. Consistent of Indian domestic cricket, Sarfaraz. The latter has no tons to show this year, so far, at least.
With so many Indian batsmen doing well in the domestic circuit, it is becoming even more difficult with each passing day, to give an opportunity to the performers. But the way it’s been going so far, one never knows if Padikkal can actually surpass the next in line, and make the Test team soon.
