Devdutt Padikkal was all smiles after Royal Challengers Bengaluru kicked off their Indian Premier League 2026 campaign with a commanding win over Sunrisers Hyderabad at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium on Saturday.The left-hander played a decisive hand in the chase, blasting 61 off just 26 balls, an innings studded with four sixes and seven boundaries at a strike rate of 234.62. Alongside him, Virat Kohli remained unbeaten on 69 from 38 deliveries. The duo stitched together a rapid 101-run stand in only 45 balls, helping the defending champions overhaul a 202-run target with 26 balls to spare.
Speaking on Star Sports’ ‘Amul Cricket Live’, Padikkal shed light on his approach during the chase and revealed the guidance he received from Kohli at the other end.“It feels good to start off the new season with a win, especially at Bengaluru. The Chinnaswamy Stadium holds a special place in our hearts, and we wanted to give back to our fans who helped us win the trophy last year. When I came out to bat, Virat bhai’s only instruction was to keep the run-rate up and put pressure on the bowlers. My job was to take risks while he anchored the chase,” he said.Padikkal explained that Kohli’s presence at the crease allowed him to play with freedom and take calculated risks. Despite the early dismissal of Phil Salt, the pair ensured the momentum never dipped, denying Hyderabad any chance of a comeback.“His presence took the pressure off me and let me play freely. We knew SRH’s bowling is not very strong, so we believed we could chase down the target in a smooth manner. We lost Phil Salt early, but it was important to keep the pressure on, so SRH wouldn’t get the chance to come back into the game. We did that well and secured the win,” Padikkal said.The youngster also credited head coach Andy Flower and mentor Dinesh Karthik for shaping his T20 evolution, both technically and mentally, and helping him embrace a more attacking approach.“The credit for the evolution and improvement of my game goes to our Head Coach Andy Flower and our Batting Coach Dinesh Karthik bhai. They really worked hard on me. It wasn’t easy because there was a lot I needed to change. It wasn’t just technical; it was a lot mentally as well. I needed to really believe that I can play this aggressive brand of cricket,” Padikkal said.“Over the last five or six years, T20 cricket has evolved a lot. When I first came into the IPL in 2020, the cricket we played was very different from what is being played now. So, it was important that I believe in myself that I can do it. I feel Andy and DK helped me get there,” he added.Earlier in the evening, Sunrisers Hyderabad recovered well after a shaky start to post 201/9. Early blows saw Abhishek Sharma, Travis Head and Nitish Reddy fall in the powerplay, but a strong counterattack followed.Ishan Kishan led the charge with a blistering 80 off 38 balls, including eight fours and five sixes, while Aniket Verma chipped in with a rapid 43 from just 18 deliveries.For Bengaluru, Jacob Duffy (3/22) and Romario Shepherd (3/54) picked up three wickets each. Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Abhinandan Singh and Suyash Sharma claimed one wicket apiece.In reply, Kohli’s unbeaten knock anchored the chase, while Padikkal’s explosive cameo turned the game decisively. Skipper Rajat Patidar added a quickfire 31 off just 12 balls, smashing three sixes and two fours, as RCB sealed a four-wicket victory.The win also saw Bengaluru register the fastest successful chase of a 200-plus target in IPL history, reaching 202 in just 15.4 overs.
