"You can't just be a one-trick pony"- Devdutt Padikkal shows readiness to play down the order after guiding Gulbarga Mystics to Maharaja T20 Trophy Final
Gulbarga Mystics star Devdutt Padikkal guided his franchise to the Maharaja T20 Trophy 2022 Final with a stupendous 96-run knock against Mysuru Warriors in the Qualifier 2 match on August 25.
Following the victory, the youngster discussed how important it is for him to play well in different batting positions.
The southpaw came into the limelight after his consistent performances for Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) as an opener in the IPL in 2020 and 2021, respectively. However, he found himself demoted to the middle order when he moved to the Rajasthan Royals (RR) ahead of this year's tournament.
Devdutt Padikkal's unbeaten 96* off 64 takes Gulbarga Mystics to Finals #Maharajatrophy #devduttpadikkal #gulbargamystics https://t.co/aszklshVau
Even in the Maharaja Trophy, Padikkal has not played much as an opener. Speaking to reporters after the Qualifier 2 match against Mysuru Warriors, the Karnataka cricketer highlighted the significance of playing at different positions in the batting order and said:
"Definitely, opening is the position where I have played the most, but these days, you can't just be a one-trick pony. You can't just say that you are an opener. So, I am really enjoying these new challenges and hopefully, I can continue to excel in it."
"I don't really think of getting into the Indian team"- Devdutt Padikkal opens up on his thought process
Winning moment of the Gulbarga vs Mysore @maharaja_t20 clash!
Devdutt Padikkal needed 6 runs to get to his hundred, but he was happy to knock it towards cover point for a single and bring about a win for the Mystics!
#MaharajaTrophy https://t.co/CHWECzGRsC
Replying to a query from Sportskeeda after the match, Padikkal shared the details of his thought process while playing for Gulbarga Mystics in the Maharaja Trophy. He said that he is completely focused on the current tournament and is not thinking much about getting back into the Indian squad.
The southpaw said:
"To be honest, I don't really think of getting into the Indian team. I just play every game as it comes and every game is important to me, the Maharaja Trophy, the Ranji Trophy or Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. Every game is important to me. That's how I look at it," said Padikkal.
The Maharaja T20 Trophy 2022 Final will happen tonight (August 26) in Bangalore at 7:00 pm IST. Gulbarga Mystics will battle against Bengaluru Blasters in a rematch of Qualifier 1 to determine the winner of the tournament.
Which team will win the Maharaja T20 Trophy 2022? Share your vews in the comments below.