IPL 2021: "It took me some time to settle in there" - RCB's Devdutt Padikkal speaks about his time in the Indian dressing room
Royal Challengers Bangalore opener Devdutt Padikkal earned his maiden Indian call-up earlier this year for limited-overs matches in Sri Lanka. The left-hander had been knocking on the selectors' door with exceptional performances in the Indian Premier League as well as domestic cricket.
In a video shared by his IPL franchise, the southpaw admitted to being overwhelmed at first after being named in the national side. Padikkal revealed that representing his country on the big stage was a very special moment.
"It took me some time to settle in there. Once I, you know, got into it and once I started practicing I just realized how blessed I am to be there, you know, to get that opportunity to be part of the Indian team and represent my country. It was very special."
Speaking about his selection, the talented youngster recalled how he repeatedly refreshed pages to check for the squad's announcement. Padikkal added that it was his childhood coach who eventually broke the news to him.
He also mentioned how incredible it was for him to learn from Rahul Dravid, who was appointed as the head coach for that particular tour. Moreover, Padikkal was mighty pleased to have been a part of the Indian team setup.
The 21-year-old stated that he was mesmerized upon receiving the team India jersey. He spoke about how he wore the jersey for several hours in his hotel room and also clicked several pictures with it.
Devdutt Padikkal in IPL 2021
Padikkal turned heads with his exploits with the bat in the previous edition of the cash-rich league as he finished as the top run-scorer for his franchise. The swashbuckling opener played some delightful knocks during the first half of the IPL earlier this year as well.
Padikkal set the stage ablaze by slamming a stunning century against the Rajasthan Royals. He managed to amass 195 runs from six games at a fantastic strike rate of 152.34.
It is fair to say that Padikkal has carved a niche for himself in RCB's star-studded batting order. He is expected to play a major role for them once again in the upcoming UAE leg of IPL 2021 as Virat Kohli and co. look to clinch their maiden championship title.