Sri Lankan Series Great Opportunity For Me To Learn From Shikhar Dhawan: Devdutt Padikkal

Young opener Devdutt Padikkal is looking forward to learning from veteran southpaw Shikhar Dhawan during the upcoming white-ball assignment against Sri Lanka.

Team India will lock horns with Sri Lanka in three ODIs and as many T20Is later this month and for someone like Devdutt Padikkal, who received his maiden call-up to the national team for the aforementioned tour, believes that it is a great opportunity for him to learn from someone like Shikhar Dhawan, whom he has grown up watching.

During a recent interaction with Star Sports on ‘Follow the Blues’, Padikkal recounted how Dhawan’s blistering knock of 187 on Test debut against Australia [in Mohai, 2013] left the rookie opener in absolute awe.

Padikkal revealed that he was inspired by the fearlessness that Dhawan displayed in his debut Test. Dhawan smashed a whirlwind hundred in his maiden Test innings against Australia back in 2013 which still remains the fastest ton by an Indian on debut.

‘’This will be a really great opportunity for me to learn from someone who is similar to me. Obviously, he is also a left-handed opener and I have watched a lot of his batting as I have grown up. His Test debut against Australia is pretty unforgettable, to be honest. To see how he batted and how fearless he was on his debut is something I was really inspired by. Cut short, there is a lot I can learn from him and I am looking forward to playing under him.” said Devdutt Padikkal.

Representing the country is a dream for any sportsman and the same is the case with Devdutt Padikkal, who admitted that getting a chance to represent his country is a feeling that is hard to describe in words.

‘’Dream come true because ever since I started playing cricket at nine years old, this is the moment I have always dreamt about and always wanted to achieve. So to be picked to represent the country is a feeling which is very hard to explain. So I am really grateful for this opportunity.” added Padikkal.

‘IPL has given me that platform and I will always be grateful for that’- Devdutt Padikkal

Devdutt Padikkal has been dishing out consistent performances in List A cricket for Karnataka but it is his exploits for the Virat Kohli-led RCB in the IPL that has propelled him to stardom.

The left-handed opener, who smashed in excess of 400 runs in his debut season last year, scored his maiden T20 hundred during the first phase of IPL 2021 against the Royals.

‘’There is a lot of attention on the IPL and being a youngster it was important that as soon as I got that chance, I really made a mark and really cemented my place in the side. IPL has given me that platform and I will always be grateful for that.” said Padikkal.

Padikkal signed off after admitting that he is in absolute awe of the kind of passion and dedication that Virat Kohli displays towards the game.

”You can clearly see the passion and dedication he [Kohli] has towards the game. That’s something I have always admired in him and it’s just that how driven he is to being the No.1, the best he can be. When you have someone like that as your leader, you will also want to emulate that same thing.” he added.

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