Twitter In Awe Of Devdutt Padikkal As The Left-Hander Smashes His Maiden IPL Ton

There have been a lot of questions around Devdutt Padikkal’s strike rate in IPL and domestic T20 cricket but on Thursday night, the stylish Karnataka southpaw proceeded to answer with his bat as he racked up a whirlwind unbeaten 101 off 52 balls against Rajasthan Royals in Mumbai.

The start of the season wasn’t ideal for young Padikkal. He tested positive for Covid in the lead-up to the season, forcing him to miss the season opener against Mumbai Indians.

He returned for the second game against SunRisers Hyderabad but during the course of the next two outings, he struggled for timing on a sluggish Chepauk track.

It was an innings laced with sumptuous and authoritative strokeplay by Devdutt.

He cut, he pulled, he dabbed, he flicked, he cover-drove, he lofted the ball on the up against pacers, he slog-swept the spinners and if all of this wasn’t enough, he nonchalantly walked out of his crease and deposited the spinners over their head.

And, it was only fitting that he brought up his maiden IPL ton with a blistering cover-drive off Mustafizur Rahman to become the third-youngest to score a hundred in the cash-rich league’s history.

Here’s how Twitter reacted to Devdutt Padikkal’s magical 100:

Padikkal is PROPER

— Kevin Pietersen? (@KP24) A<!---->p<!---->r<!---->i<!---->l<!----> <!---->2<!---->2<!---->,<!----> <!---->2<!---->0<!---->2<!---->1

#<!---->p<!---->a<!---->d<!---->i<!---->k<!---->k<!---->a<!---->l looking sweet ?? @<!---->B<!---->C<!---->C<!---->I have so many quality young players #<!---->I<!---->P<!---->L<!---->2<!---->0<!---->2<!---->1

— Alex Tudor (@alextudorcoach) A<!---->p<!---->r<!---->i<!---->l<!----> <!---->2<!---->2<!---->,<!----> <!---->2<!---->0<!---->2<!---->1

Devdutt Padikkal has played a supremely masterful innings. The sheer power and dominance of his stroke-play was something to behold. And, he enjoys batting with his captain Virat Kohli. Well played @<!---->R<!---->C<!---->B<!---->T<!---->w<!---->e<!---->e<!---->t<!---->s

— Ian Raphael Bishop (@irbishi) A<!---->p<!---->r<!---->i<!---->l<!----> <!---->2<!---->2<!---->,<!----> <!---->2<!---->0<!---->2<!---->1

Very very happy for @<!---->d<!---->e<!---->v<!---->d<!---->p<!---->d<!---->0<!---->7. There is genuine class here

— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) A<!---->p<!---->r<!---->i<!---->l<!----> <!---->2<!---->2<!---->,<!----> <!---->2<!---->0<!---->2<!---->1

Amazing knock from Padikkal! Such class and composure ??

— Shai Hope (@shaidhope) A<!---->p<!---->r<!---->i<!---->l<!----> <!---->2<!---->2<!---->,<!----> <!---->2<!---->0<!---->2<!---->1

CHAMPION INNINGS BY A CHAMPION YOUNGSTER! ??#<!---->P<!---->l<!---->a<!---->y<!---->B<!---->o<!---->l<!---->d #<!---->W<!---->e<!---->A<!---->r<!---->e<!---->C<!---->h<!---->a<!---->l<!---->l<!---->e<!---->n<!---->g<!---->e<!---->r<!---->s #<!---->I<!---->P<!---->L<!---->2<!---->0<!---->2<!---->1 #<!---->R<!---->C<!---->B<!---->v<!---->R<!---->R #<!---->D<!---->a<!---->r<!---->e<!---->T<!---->o<!---->D<!---->r<!---->e<!---->a<!---->m p<!---->i<!---->c<!---->.<!---->t<!---->w<!---->i<!---->t<!---->t<!---->e<!---->r<!---->.<!---->c<!---->o<!---->m<!---->/<!---->D<!---->L<!---->M<!---->O<!---->E<!---->w<!---->5<!---->G<!---->6<!---->K

— Royal Challengers Bangalore (@RCBTweets) A<!---->p<!---->r<!---->i<!---->l<!----> <!---->2<!---->2<!---->,<!----> <!---->2<!---->0<!---->2<!---->1

Youngest centurions in IPL:

19y,253d – Manish Pandey, 2009
20y,218d – Rishabh Pant, 2018
20y,289d – DEVDUTT PADIKKAL, 2021
22y,151d – Sanju Samson, 2017
23y,122d – Quinton de Kock, 2016#<!---->I<!---->P<!---->L<!---->2<!---->0<!---->2<!---->1 #<!---->R<!---->C<!---->B<!---->v<!---->R<!---->R

— Bharath Seervi (@SeerviBharath) A<!---->p<!---->r<!---->i<!---->l<!----> <!---->2<!---->2<!---->,<!----> <!---->2<!---->0<!---->2<!---->1

Devdutt Padikkal take a bow!!!!! ????????????? #<!---->I<!---->P<!---->L<!---->2<!---->0<!---->2<!---->1 #<!---->R<!---->C<!---->B<!---->v<!---->s<!---->R<!---->R

— Alexandra Hartley (@AlexHartley93) A<!---->p<!---->r<!---->i<!---->l<!----> <!---->2<!---->2<!---->,<!----> <!---->2<!---->0<!---->2<!---->1

Brilliant ? by @<!---->d<!---->e<!---->v<!---->d<!---->p<!---->d<!---->0<!---->7 it was an inning which was pleasing to the eye.

— Irfan Pathan (@IrfanPathan) A<!---->p<!---->r<!---->i<!---->l<!----> <!---->2<!---->2<!---->,<!----> <!---->2<!---->0<!---->2<!---->1

You've got to be a damn good player to outscore Virat Kohli. To do it at the age of 20 whilst scoring a century is even more impressive #<!---->I<!---->P<!---->L #<!---->C<!---->r<!---->i<!---->c<!---->k<!---->e<!---->t

— Saj Sadiq (@SajSadiqCricket) A<!---->p<!---->r<!---->i<!---->l<!----> <!---->2<!---->2<!---->,<!----> <!---->2<!---->0<!---->2<!---->1

Deserving ??#<!---->R<!---->C<!---->B<!---->v<!---->s<!---->R<!---->R #<!---->I<!---->P<!---->L p<!---->i<!---->c<!---->.<!---->t<!---->w<!---->i<!---->t<!---->t<!---->e<!---->r<!---->.<!---->c<!---->o<!---->m<!---->/<!---->z<!---->v<!---->S<!---->O<!---->M<!---->5<!---->B<!---->P<!---->y<!---->T

— Prasidh Krishna (@prasidh43) A<!---->p<!---->r<!---->i<!---->l<!----> <!---->2<!---->2<!---->,<!----> <!---->2<!---->0<!---->2<!---->1

Unbelievable knock from @<!---->d<!---->e<!---->v<!---->d<!---->p<!---->d<!---->0<!---->7 congratulations on your first @<!---->I<!---->P<!---->L ?. @<!---->R<!---->C<!---->B<!---->T<!---->w<!---->e<!---->e<!---->t<!---->s #<!---->R<!---->C<!---->B<!---->v<!---->R<!---->R #<!---->I<!---->P<!---->L<!---->2<!---->0<!---->2<!---->1

— Vinay Kumar R (@Vinay_Kumar_R) A<!---->p<!---->r<!---->i<!---->l<!----> <!---->2<!---->2<!---->,<!----> <!---->2<!---->0<!---->2<!---->1

A match-winning CENTURY from @<!---->d<!---->e<!---->v<!---->d<!---->p<!---->d<!---->0<!---->7 as #<!---->R<!---->C<!---->B win by 10 wickets.

Scorecard – h<!---->t<!---->t<!---->p<!---->s<!---->:<!---->/<!---->/<!---->t<!---->.<!---->c<!---->o<!---->/<!---->Z<!---->B<!---->2<!---->J<!---->N<!---->O<!---->h<!---->W<!---->c<!---->L #<!---->V<!---->I<!---->V<!---->O<!---->I<!---->P<!---->L p<!---->i<!---->c<!---->.<!---->t<!---->w<!---->i<!---->t<!---->t<!---->e<!---->r<!---->.<!---->c<!---->o<!---->m<!---->/<!---->s<!---->O<!---->I<!---->D<!---->I<!---->b<!---->R<!---->L<!---->c<!---->h

— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) A<!---->p<!---->r<!---->i<!---->l<!----> <!---->2<!---->2<!---->,<!----> <!---->2<!---->0<!---->2<!---->1

@<!---->R<!---->C<!---->B<!---->T<!---->w<!---->e<!---->e<!---->t<!---->s going strong !! Congratulations @<!---->d<!---->e<!---->v<!---->d<!---->p<!---->d<!---->0<!---->7 on ur first of many T-20 ????s and Virat for crossing 6000 runs . What a phenomenal chase #<!---->R<!---->C<!---->B<!---->v<!---->s<!---->R<!---->R #<!---->I<!---->P<!---->L<!---->2<!---->0<!---->2<!---->1

— Mithun Manhas (@MithunManhas) A<!---->p<!---->r<!---->i<!---->l<!----> <!---->2<!---->2<!---->,<!----> <!---->2<!---->0<!---->2<!---->1