Devdutt Padikkal's Stellar Performance Sparks National Team Hopes
RCB's Title Defense and Padikkal's Rising Star
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), the reigning champions of the Indian Premier League (IPL), are currently seen as strong contenders to secure the title again. Interestingly, none of their players were part of the Indian team that triumphed in the 2026 T20 World Cup last month. However, Dinesh Karthik, the franchise's batting coach and mentor, has expressed confidence in Devdutt Padikkal, the team's number three batter, suggesting he is on the verge of making a return to the national squad across all formats.
Karthik praised Padikkal's impressive start to the 2026 season, where he has already scored two half-centuries. He emphasized that the selection committee, led by Ajit Agarkar, would find it challenging to overlook Padikkal for an extended period. Karthik noted, "His determination is evident. On challenging pitches, it's easy for a batter to lose focus, especially after a good start. However, Padikkal displayed remarkable courage during tough phases, and once he found his rhythm, he switched gears effectively."
He further added, "Padikkal's batting style is such that it will be hard to keep him out of the Indian team for long. He plays genuine cricketing shots and strikes the ball cleanly. With over 2,000 runs this season, he is undoubtedly a Test-quality player." In domestic cricket, Padikkal had a phenomenal season, finishing as the second-highest run-scorer in the 2025-26 Vijay Hazare Trophy with 725 runs at an average of 98.23, including four centuries. He also contributed significantly to Karnataka's journey to the Ranji Trophy final, amassing 543 runs in 10 innings at an average of 76.47, with two centuries.
Despite his impressive performances, the 25-year-old has not represented India since the Perth Test during the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy. He was included in the squad for the home Test series against West Indies and South Africa but did not make it to the playing XI in any of the four matches.
RCB's Absence in the Indian Squad
Why RCB Does Not Have Players In Indian Squad?
Among the RCB roster, Virat Kohli remains a staple in India's ODI lineup, although he has stepped back from Test and T20I formats. Bhuvneshwar Kumar, recognized as one of the country's top pacers, has been out of the national selection since November 2022. Additionally, Jitesh Sharma was part of the T20I squad until December but was unexpectedly dropped from the T20 World Cup team, paving the way for Ishan Kishan's selection. RCB captain Rajat Patidar has not featured for India since February 2024, with only one ODI and three Test appearances in his career.