IPL 2020: Devdutt Padikkal has got the goods to play for India, says Brad Hogg
Former Australia left-arm unorthodox spinner Brad Hogg has stated that Royal Challengers Bangalore opener Devdutt Padikkal has got the ability to play for India. Hogg was extremely impressed by the way Padikkal has shown consistency in IPL 2020 so far, scoring three fifties from just four games.
Earlier in one of his videos, Hogg had mentioned that Padikkal's weakness was the short ball bowled into his ribs and Sheldon Cottrell had exploited that weakness in RCB's game against Kings XI Punjab.
However, the 49-year-old noted that Padikkal had made adjustments and has been playing the short ball well in the following games.
"It's Devdutt Padikkal's first IPL and he has made three fifties out of four innings. In the second game he really got tested by Cottrell with that short ball into the ribs. But I have seen him play a couple of pull shots against quality quick bowling after that. This kid has got the goods to play for India," Brad Hogg said on his YouTube channel.
Devdutt Padikkal is a quick thinker and learns quickly: Brad Hogg
As mentioned before, Brad Hogg was impressed by the way Padikkal worked on his weakness after realizing that bowlers from the other teams would target and test him with the short ball.
Mumbai Indians' Jasprit Bumrah, considered to be one of the premier T20 bowlers, was extremely well dealt with by Padikkal in the game following the encounter against KXIP, and Hogg was full of praise for the 20-year-old.
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"In the second game, Padikkal got tested by Cottrell by the short ball. The next game, he pulled Bumrah with the short ball to the body. That showed me that he is a quick thinker. He learns quickly. And that is probably the best batting performance that I have seen, his three fifties in four innings," Brad Hogg said.
RCB play their next game against the Rajasthan Royals on Monday in Dubai. Devdutt Padikkal will be keen to carry on his fantastic form and look to score as many runs as possible.