Bengaluru, April 24 (IANS) Devdutt Padikkal’s comeback continued to gain steam as his impressive 55 off 27 balls set the stage for Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s five-wicket victory over Gujarat Titans in the Indian Premier League 2026 at M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Friday.

Reflecting on his return to form, Padikkal emphasised the effort behind the scenes. “Feels great. I’ve been working hard to get where I am, and I’m glad it’s paying off. I think a lot of this is thanks to the self-belief that the management has given me. At the same time, I’ve made some technical changes in the past few years. You have to stick to those changes. Now I am seeing the results.”

Chasing a tough target of 205, RCB needed a strong start, and Padikkal delivered just that. He took on the pace of Kagiso Rabada and Mohammed Siraj confidently, hitting boundaries and maintaining the required run rate. One shot stood out—a beautiful lofted drive over extra cover—which he highlighted: “It was probably my favourite shot of the day for sure.”

Padikkal approached the innings with a clear strategy rather than recklessness. “At the end of the day, I need to play according to the situation and assess what’s happening out there. We were chasing 210, so we needed to make the most of the Power-play and keep the momentum going for the next few overs,” he explained. This clarity showed as he dominated the middle overs, taking apart Prasidh Krishna and applying pressure on Rashid Khan with a mix of sweeps and lofted shots.

While Virat Kohli steadied the chase with a smooth 81, Padikkal’s aggressive innings ensured RCB stayed ahead. Even after his dismissal, bowled by a clever googly from Rashid, the foundation he had laid proved crucial.

Looking ahead, Padikkal expressed his desire to contribute more significantly. “I want to help finish games, so hopefully I can do that soon,” he said, while also recognising the depth of talent that gives him freedom to perform at the top. “We’ve seen what Tim, Romario, and Jitesh can do down the order, so with that kind of firepower, you can feel free to go out and express yourself.”

–IANS

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