Devdutt Padikkal of the Rajasthan Royals confessed that he is dissatisfied with his performance in the ongoing IPL 2023. He also stated that he is still very young and is striving to learn and develop with each season.
Devdutt Padikkal was named Player of the Match for his 51 off 30 balls as RR defeated PBKS by four wickets in their last league game on Friday, May 19, at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamsala.
The left-handed batsman hit 5 fours and 3 sixes as RR chased a 188-run target in 19.4 overs to keep their playoff chances alive.
Devdutt Padikkal commented on his inconsistent season in a post-match press conference:
“Honestly, even I don’t know what the difference has been [in Friday’s knock]. It’s been one of those seasons where I have been up and down personally. It’s not been up to the standards that I would have hoped for. Again, every season that I come into the IPL, I just want to learn. I am still young and I am looking to pave my way in this game.”
“There’s a lot to learn – batting at numbers three, four, five, six. I have done it all this season and I am really happy that I am learning with every single opportunity I get.”
While Padikkal was the aggressor in the 73-run second wicket partnership with Yashasvi Jaiswal (50 off 36), he explained that it was not intentional. He elaborated:
“We both bat pretty well with each other whenever we have got an opportunity and we knew at what point who is playing the ball better and hitting the ball better. We were just looking to build a partnership. Whenever you lose an early wicket, you have to make sure that you take some time and just put the bad balls away. We were happy that we could push that partnership as long as possible.”
After Jos Buttler’s third duck in a row, and 5th of this season, Jaiswal and Padikkal rebuilt the match with their half-centuries.
Devdutt Padikkal on the net run rate scenario
RR needed to chase down the goal in 18.3 overs to move ahead of Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the net run rate scenario. Devdutt Padikkal confessed that they were aware of the situation, but stated that their primary goal was to win the game.
“We were aware of that but, we had to make sure that we win the game first. It was a close game. We had to make sure we got that victory and not think too far ahead. At the end of the day, that’s in our control. What happens in the RCB game is up to them. We did what we could.”
For RR to qualify for the IPL 2023 playoffs, Royal Challengers Bangalore and Mumbai Indians must lose their last season game and finish below RR’s net run rate.