All eyes are on the next generation of the Karnataka cricketers who will get a chance to play first-class cricket.

Bengaluru :

All eyes are on the next generation of the Karnataka cricketers who will get a chance to play first-class cricket. The Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) selection committee handed debut offers to eight players in the Ranji Trophy this season. And among them, one youngster who shone was 18-year-old Devdutt Padikkal. The U-19 India opener was an instant hit, scoring 77 on his first-class debut against Maharashtra.

The left-hander has seen a meteoric rise in his stocks after playing a fantastic 208-run knock against Assam in the Cooch Behar Trophy in 2017. His impressive numbers in that season, where he scored 829 runs at an average of 82.9, and his exploits with India U-19 team in the Sri Lanka tour (153 runs in five innings) and Asia Cup U-19 (152 in 3) were enough to convince Karnataka selectors. Padikkal even played a few good knocks in the Karnataka Premier League (KPL playing for Ballari Tuskers. In his rookie Ranji season, the Edapal, Kerala-born batsman has tallied 258 runs in 10 innings, including three half-centuries.

“I had expected the call-up as I played a few good innings in the India U-19. It happened at the right moment for me. While I’m happy to have helped the team, I’m not satisfied with the scores. I think I could have done better,” he said.

The Bengaluru-boy, who moved to the city at the age of 11 to pursue cricket, has matured a lot. Unlike his aggressive style of batting in the U-19 setup, the youngster has learnt to be patient in testing first-class cricket, respecting bowlers’ might. He proved that on a seaming track of Shivamogga, scoring 75 at a snail pace against Railways in the Ranji Trophy.

“Bowlers are more experienced and that tests your skills as a batsman. It’s not very easy to play against them,” said Padikkal. Padikkal is working on polishing his skills with his coach Irfan Sait. The opener has already bagged an Indian Premier League (IPL) contract with Royal Challengers Bangalore. And despite the little chances of making his debut in the cash-rich league, he wants to utilise the platform to improve his skills.
“I have been working on my power hitting to play those big shots. Hopefully, in the IPL camp, I will be able to do that under Gary (Kirsten),” he said.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Bengaluru / by Krishnendu Banerjee / Express News Service / February 11th, 2019