Devdutt Padikkal Credits Andy Flower and Dinesh Karthik for His Game's Evolution
Devdutt Padikkal said, It feels good to start the new season with a win, especially at Bengaluru
Bengaluru: Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru began their TATA IPL 2026 campaign in style with a six-wicket win over Sunrisers Hyderabad. On Star Sports’ Amul Cricket Live, JioStar expert Dale Steyn praised the Devdutt Padikkal–Virat Kohli partnership, while Padikkal himself reflected on his batting approach and the influence of RCB’s coaching staff.
Padikkal on the chase with Kohli
“It feels good to start the new season with a win, especially at Bengaluru. The Chinnaswamy Stadium holds a special place in our hearts, and we wanted to give back to our fans who helped us win the trophy last year.
When I came out to bat, Virat bhai’s only instruction was to keep the run-rate up and put pressure on the bowlers. My role was to take risks while he anchored the chase. His presence took the pressure off me and allowed me to play freely. We knew SRH’s bowling wasn’t very strong, so we believed we could chase smoothly. Losing Phil Salt early meant we had to keep the momentum, and we did that well to secure the win.”
On his evolution as a T20 batter
“The credit for the evolution of my game goes to Head Coach Andy Flower and Batting Coach Dinesh Karthik bhai. They worked really hard on me. It wasn’t just technical changes—it was mental too. I had to believe I could play this aggressive brand of cricket.
T20 cricket has evolved massively over the last five or six years. When I debuted in 2020, the game was very different. Andy and DK helped me adapt and believe in myself, and that’s made all the difference.”
Steyn on Kohli’s evolution
“A lot of players at Virat’s level look to tweak their game by a few percentages. That’s what he’s been doing every IPL season. His six-hitting ability has improved significantly over the last two years.
Earlier, Virat had a set mindset about shot selection. But after retiring from Test cricket, his mentality has shifted. He now backs himself to play aerial shots consistently, and that shows his class.”
Why SRH fell short
“SRH skipper Ishan Kishan batted beautifully for his 80, controlling the innings well. But their bowlers lacked clear plans in the second half. It’s tough to defend 200-plus with the attack they have.
I was surprised Nitish Kumar Reddy bowled only two overs in the Powerplay and wasn’t used again. The management and captain need to rethink resource usage. On flat decks like Hyderabad, bowlers must take wickets and apply pressure—otherwise defending big totals will remain a huge challenge.”
📺 Catch Mumbai Indians vs Kolkata Knight Riders in the TATA IPL today, 7:30 PM onwards, LIVE on JioHotstar and Star Sports Network.
