Devdutt Padikkal aims to do well in 2024 Duleep Trophy
What's the story
Devdutt Padikkal is set to participate in the upcoming Duleep Trophy.
The southpaw is hoping to do well in the upcoming tournament for his return to the Indian cricket team.
Despite facing stiff competition from KL Rahul's return, Padikkal remains optimistic about his prospects.
His confidence is fueled by his previous performances in domestic cricket and his debut Test series against England earlier this year.
Here are further details.
Debut performance
Padikkal's impressive debut and Duleep Trophy aspirations
Padikkal made his Test debut against England earlier this year, stepping in for the injured Rajat Patidar.
He seized this opportunity by scoring a half-century in his first match.
Now, he is looking forward to replicating this form in the Duleep Trophy.
"Yeah, definitely it's (Duleep Trophy) a very important tournament," Padikkal told PTI.
"You don't get too many opportunities at the highest level."
Domestic success
Padikkal's stellar Ranji Trophy performance and future goals
Padikkal's confidence is also boosted by his outstanding performance in the 2023-24 Ranji Trophy.
He scored a remarkable 556 runs in just four matches, averaging over 93 with three centuries.
Reflecting on his India debut, Padikkal said, "Going into that game, I felt ready."
The left-handed batsman is now focused on maintaining this momentum and improving his skills further.
Skill enhancement
Padikkal's focus on improvement and T20 strategy
Padikkal is committed to continuous improvement, particularly in the challenging format of Test cricket. He is also working on increasing his strike rate in limited-overs formats.
"I've been trying to adopt a more aggressive mindset in T20 cricket, and I'm seeing progress," he stated.
Despite past health issues that affected his performance, Padikkal remains determined to play at his best.
Information
Padikkal averages 44.94 in FC cricket
As per ESPNcricinfo, in 32 First-Class matches, Padikkal owns 2,292 runs at 44.94. He has six tons and 13 fifties. In his lone outing for Team India, Padikkal impressed with a score of 65.