New Delhi, April 6 (IANS) Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) batting coach and mentor Dinesh Karthik believes Devdutt Padikkal’s ongoing form in the 2026 IPL has been so assured that it will be difficult to keep him out of the Indian team for a long time.

Padikkal struck 50 off 29 balls – his second consecutive fifty of the season – and set the tone for RCB to post a daunting 250/3 against the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, as they eventually won by 43 runs.

“The first thing that stands out is his determination. On a pitch like this, when runs don’t come easily at the start, many batters try to force a big shot and end up giving their wicket away. Devdutt showed great courage to stay patient when the going was tough.

“Once he got that first boundary, you could see him switch gears. He’s playing proper cricketing shots and hitting the ball with distance. If he continues batting like this, it will be difficult to keep him out of the Indian team for long. He has scored heavily in domestic cricket and we know he’s a quality player.

“What’s also impressive is the way he’s stepping up as a leader in the Karnataka dressing room. Even at 25, he contributes with his ideas and leadership, and that’s great to see,” said Karthik on JioStar.

RCB were also helped by big-hitting batter Tim David, who smashed a ferocious 25-ball 70 not out against CSK, including hitting eight sixes. “Tim David is an extremely gifted ball striker. He has a very smooth swing, long levers and all the ingredients required to hit big shots. For him, it’s about ensuring those elements remain consistent in practice.

“Because he bats in the middle order, he often gets fewer balls in a match compared to top-order batters. So, in the nets, it’s important that he faces enough deliveries and stays in a good rhythm. The rest of his game is already very strong. Over the last 12–18 months, he has been one of the most consistent batters in the world in this format,” added Karthik.

–IANS

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