'I’m Back Scoring…', LSG’s Devdutt Padikkal Warns Other Teams Ahead Of IPL 2024
Devdutt Padikkal has been in sensational form with the bat. (PTI)
Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) batter Devdutt Padikkal attributes his resurgence to good health after enduring a lean patch in the past few years. Acknowledging the challenges he faced when not scoring runs due to fitness issues, he expresses relief at returning to form now that he is fully fit and healthy.
The stylish left-handed batter, who had to make several hospital visits owing to an acute digestive ailment in 2022, struggled to make an impact last season, scoring only 260 runs in seven Ranji Trophy innings.
However, since recovering completely, Padikkal has looked unstoppable. The southpaw had a brilliant run in the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2023-24 and carried the same form into the ongoing Ranji Trophy 2024 as well.
Padikkal admits that he wasn't doing too well in the last few years, recalling his bad phase where he was struggling to score runs. He also expresses happiness at being back to scoring runs.
“Honestly, I wasn’t doing too well in the last couple of years. My performances were naturally dipping because of that. It’s not a great place to be when you’re not scoring runs. Now that I am completely back in terms of my fitness and health, I am really happy I’m back scoring runs as well,” Devdutt Padikkal told Sportstar.
Padikkal has been in exceptional form in the ongoing 2024 Ranji Trophy season. He led the charge for Karnataka with a fantastic 151 against Tamil Nadu, helping them post a total of 366 in the first innings. The southpaw has been in fiery form this season, slamming three centuries and emerging as a standout performer for Karnataka in recent times.
He has smoked three centuries this season and is the seventh-highest run-getter overall, standing among the eight batters with 500-plus runs. Notably, he is Karnataka's highest run-getter this season.
In between the Ranji Trophy matches, Padikkal also turned up to churn out runs for India A and featured in a couple of matches against the England Lions. Carrying his form, Padikkal hammered a 105 in the first match, followed by a 65 and 23 in the second match.
Although Padikkal couldn't cement his place in India's squad for the upcoming three Test matches against England, he will continue to work hard and look to accumulate a lot of runs to get into the selectors' scheme of things.