Young Indian batter Devdutt Padikkal has broken his silence on being overlooked for the India vs New Zealand ODI series despite scoring over 600 runs in the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy. The left-hander, who is in red-hot form in domestic cricket, has maintained a remarkably grounded perspective on the selection snub, acknowledging the intense competition for places in India’s star-studded white-ball setup.

“So many batters in the line”

Despite consistently heavy scoring in domestic cricket, breaking into India’s white-ball team remains a formidable task for Padikkal. Rather than dwelling on missed opportunities, the 24-year-old has made peace with the reality of fierce competition.

“I wouldn’t say it was disappointing,” Padikkal told The Indian Express when asked about being snubbed for the ODI series against New Zealand. “Yes, I was looking at the selection and seeing what would come out. But at the same time, I understood that there are so many batters in the line and everyone has been doing really well. And it’s not that easy to push into that one-day side.”

He views this patience as a necessary trait for any professional athlete. “And again, that’s something that, as cricketers, you have to make peace with. And you have to just try and do your job and keep scoring runs,” he explained.

The Karnataka batter’s mature approach reflects the challenges faced by young Indian cricketers trying to break into a team brimming with talent across all positions.

Adapting from Test cricket to T20 explosiveness

While Padikkal’s foundation was built on the traditional virtues of the longest format, the explosive nature of the Indian Premier League (IPL) demanded a shift in his approach. Moving from a classical style to a high-strike-rate T20 game was a deliberate and coached process.

“As I have grown up wanting to play Test cricket, my game was moulded in a certain way. It was definitely a challenge when I had to make those adjustments to make sure that I am keeping up with the current way T20 cricket is played,” reflected Padikkal.

The left-hander attributes much of this evolution to the support staff during his tenure at Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB).

“To be honest, all the credit for that goes to DK (Dinesh Karthik) and Andy (Flower) at RCB,” he continued, crediting his coaches. “To be honest, the way they helped me through that phase and helped me understand how I can maximise my game in the T20 format helped me a lot in terms of understanding what I needed to do. Earlier, because I was so used to playing in the power play, I was not really thinking about playing that phase after 7-14.”

Finding rhythm in ODI cricket

While T20 is about maximization, the one-day format is about rhythm. Padikkal feels he has found a natural “pattern” in 50-over cricket that allows him to anchor innings while still applying pressure.

“In one-dayers, it’s all about that tempo and that pattern. Luckily for me, I found that pretty early in my 50-over career and I really understand how to build my innings. And I feel that’s helped me a lot throughout the career that I have had in 50-overs so far,” he explained.

His tactical blueprint for the format is simple but effective: “It’s pretty straightforward for me. It’s all about fighting that new ball initially and then after that, putting some pressure back on the bowler and then playing according to the situation.”

“That’s how it always goes pretty much especially when you are batting first. And when you are batting second, obviously you can adapt your game according to the score,” he stated.

600-plus runs in Vijay Hazare Trophy

Padikkal has been in sensational form in the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy, amassing over 600 runs for Karnataka. One-day cricket seems to be the format in which he excels the most, yet a spot in India’s ODI team continues to evade him.

His performances have caught the attention of selectors and fans alike, but with India’s batting lineup featuring established stars and emerging talents, opportunities remain limited. Padikkal’s focus on continuous improvement and acceptance of the selection process demonstrates the mental fortitude required to succeed at the highest level.