'Batting with Virat was a huge help': How Kohli shaped RCB star's IPL career
Devdutt Paddikal has been instrumental in the Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s (RCB) run to the playoffs in IPL 2026 and the left-handed batter said batting alongside Virat Kohli during his debut IPL season with RCB helped him understand how to build an innings in T20 cricket. Padikkal, who made his IPL debut for RCB in 2020, said observing Kohli closely played a major role in his early development as a batter. "When I made my IPL debut with RCB in the 2020 season, I felt ready.
I had a solid run of scores in domestic cricket behind me," Padikkal said during an interaction on JioStar. "And batting with Virat Kohli, one of the greatest in the game, was a huge help. At that age, watching him build an innings gave me so much clarity and understanding of how to construct a knock.
That made a big difference in my growth," he added. The Karnataka batter said his later stints with Rajasthan Royals and Lucknow Super Giants helped him improve as he had to bat in different positions. "Moving from being a dedicated opener to batting in different positions lower down the order was challenging, especially at a young age.
But those experiences with Rajasthan Royals and Lucknow Super Giants shaped me into the player I am today," he said. "Batting at different numbers taught me how to read situations, construct innings under pressure, and adapt my game. " Padikkal also spoke about his difficult IPL 2024 season and said the phase helped him identify areas that needed improvement.
"The 2024 IPL season was a tough one. Bouncing back from a difficult season is never easy. During that season, a lot was going on in my head," he said.