Devdutt Padikkal starred with the bat in India’s 1-0 Test series win over Sri Lanka last month. The southpaw was named Player-of-the-Series after scoring 328 runs at a staggering average of 109.33, which included centuries in both matches at Galle and Colombo.
Despite grabbing his opportunity at one-drop after Sai Sudharsan was ruled out of the series with a toe injury, Padikkal hasn’t taken his spot in the Test team for granted.
The 26-year-old believes putting in consistent performance is the only way for him to hold onto his place in the national side.
"Definitely, I was looking forward to it. Obviously, those opportunities don't come very easily. It takes a lot of hard work to make sure that you are continuing to improve yourself and waiting for that opportunity. I had to make sure that I was ready whenever I got it.
“The fact that I was told at the start of the series that I was going to be playing was really exciting, and I felt like, personally, I was at the best stage of my career in terms of the way I was batting, so I was really looking forward to it," Padikkal told JioStar.
Padikkal also addressed the pressure and comparisons associated with batting at the number three position for India, previously occupied by stalwarts like Rahul Dravid and Cheteshwar Pujara.
The left-hander made it clear that he is focusing entirely on his own game rather than the weight of legacy.
"At the end of the day, it's about going out there and batting. It doesn't matter what position I'm batting at, I'm trying to contribute to the side.
“Yes, obviously, there have been great players who have played at number three for India over the years, and I'm sure there'll be a lot more scrutiny on me and a lot more comparisons made. But at the end of the day, I'm going out there and just playing my cricket, and as long as I'm enjoying that, I think everything will fall into place," he stated.
Devdutt Padikkal credited Dravid for helping him build the mental clarity needed for long-format batting.
"Obviously, I've had a lot of conversations with him over the years in terms of batting and what it takes to really spend long hours out there. Again, it comes back to preparation and understanding what you want to do. As long as you have that clarity in your head about what your plans are and what you want to go out there and do, regardless of the position you're batting at, it helps a lot. I think those are the conversations I've had with him," he remarked.
India will next face New Zealand in two away Tests, while their ongoing WTC cycle will concluded with the five-Test series against Australia at home.
Following his breakthrough performance during the tour of Sri Lanka, Padikkal’s focus remains strictly on consistent run-scoring as the primary currency to retain his place.
"As long as I'm scoring runs, I think it always benefits the side. Test cricket is not the easiest format, as we all know, so you have to keep performing day in and day out. You get limited opportunities these days, and it's not very easy to cement a place in a side.
“Nothing is taken for granted. For me, personally, I just want to keep scoring runs and keep contributing to wins for the Indian Test side. As long as I'm doing that, I'm sure I'll have my place," he concluded.
(With IANS Inputs)
