RCB batting coach predicts big future for Devdutt Padikkal after recent IPL 2026 form

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) has started their title defence with pure dominance, winning back-to-back matches in the IPL 2026. Devdutt Padikkal is among the batters of the team who are in absolute flamboyant form, posting two half-centuries in two consecutive matches.

So far, RCB has played two matches and left the field as the winning side. IPL 2026 is still at its early stage, but as the wise men said, morning shows the day. The morning looks bright for both RCB and their Indian talent Devdutt Padikkal, who smashed 50 off 29 against Chennai Super Kings and 61 off 26 against Sunrisers Hyderabad.

The new version of Devdutt Padikkal could trouble the national team selectors

Only a couple of seasons ago, Padikkal was known as a technically sound batter who was capable of performing in longer formats. Now, he has a completely changed batter. Dinesh Karthik, RCB's mentor and batting coach, is among those who closely monitored the development of the batter.

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Speaking on the RCB media, the former keeper-batter mentioned that there are a lot of differences between that Devdutt Padikkal and this version of Devdutt Padikkal. Karthik believes that selectors of the Indian national cricket team will find it very difficult to ignore the fiery form of their prodigy.

I don’t think Team India can ignore: Dinesh Karthik

"Devdutt Padikkal coming into 2025 was a very different Devdutt Padikkal from the one who left RCB earlier. He has learned to handle everything that comes with playing in the IPL, and the way he has adapted his game has been very impressive," Karthik said.

"If he continues in this rich vein of form, I don’t think Team India can ignore him across formats. He is batting at a level which is a touch above a lot of other players," Dinesh Karthik claimed.

Padikkal himself explained how he changed his batting

The 25-year-old batter himself is well aware of the changes in his batting. Padikkal stated that when he was younger, a raw talent in the Indian Premier League, he was a little bit afraid of taking risks. Now, as he has grown mature, he has come to learn how to act according to the situations.

"In 2020-2021, I was a lot more scared as a young kid coming in. I feel over the years I’ve learned to handle everything that goes around in the IPL. At this point, I’ve reached a stage of maturity where I understand what I need to do to be at my best. And I feel a lot calmer and more composed and I’m really happy at where I am and I’m really enjoying my cricket," the impact batter of the IPL 2025 winners said.

"When I got the opportunity with RCB again (in 2025), I decided there were a lot of things I needed to change, I needed to really commit to working on those things regardless of what the outcome may be."

"It’s not easy when you’ve grown up playing a certain way, I could have easily accepted that I’ll stick to Test cricket, but it was important for me to come out of that comfort zone and try to adapt," he added further.

In the IPL 2025 season, Devdutt Padikkal scored 247 runs with a strike rate of 150 in 10 matches for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru. This season he has been exceptional with the bat as well.

Read More: Why RCB are dominating IPL 2026? 3 colossal non-Virat Kohli reasons revealed