Devdutt Padikkal he reminded everyone of his class with a cracking century in Karnataka’s knockout match against Baroda. Playing at the Moti Bagh Stadium in Vadodara on January 11, the stylish left-hander scored 102 off 99 balls.After missing multiple opportunities during the Australian tour, this knock was loud.
24-year-old, who was a part India Tour of the shadow of A Australiahe didn’t get a second chance after the first Test in Perth. But his latest performance shows that he is not done fighting for his place in the national team.
Padikkal takes the lead against Baroda after an early wicket
Karnataka captain Mayank Agarwal fell early, leaving the team in trouble. But Padikkal took charge right from the start. Starting with Agarwal, he found the boundaries with ease in the powerplay and kept the score on the scoreboard.
While Padikkal cruised, Aneesh KV took time to settle down. Together, the duo put on a vital 133-run partnership for the second wicket, putting Karnataka back on track.
Padikkal reached his century in the 29th century, needing just 96 balls to get there. His knock was packed with 15 fours and 2 sixes, a perfect blend of class and aggression that destroyed Baroda’s bowlers.
Quick departure after Ton
Unfortunately, Padikkal’s stay ended soon after his century. In the 32nd over, Raj Limbani took him out for 102. Limbani had also earlier dismissed Aneesh KV, who scored a solid 52 off 64 balls.
Padikkal’s innings was not all runs. It was about making a statement. His calculated aggression showed his hunger to prove his worth. This was his ninth century in List A cricket, where he averages over 80 — a remarkable statistic for someone still building his career.
Padikkal’s last few appearances
Padikkal’s journey in cricket has had its fair share of twists and turns. His last List A game was against Chandigarh in the previous season Vijay Hazare Trophywhere he scored a brilliant 114 at No.3 to help Karnataka win by 22 runs.
His stay in India AND Australia, however, did not go according to plan. He scored 36 and 88 in the first game but struggled in the first-class matches. In the opening series against Australia in Perth, Padikkal was picked in place of Abhimanyu Easwaran but could not capitalize. He fired him because of the duck Josh Hazlewood in the first innings and managed just 25 in the second.
He didn’t get another chance after that. After Shubman Gill recovered from injury, Padikkal was dropped. His only other outing was in a pink-ball warm-up where he remained unbeaten on four.
But now, with this knockout century, Padikkal has brought his name back into the limelight.
Stay updated with all the cricket action, follow Cricadius on WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter, Telegram and Instagram
Source link
