Karnataka captain Devdutt Padikkal sent a timely reminder to India’s Test selectors on Monday with a monumental first-class double century in the Ranji Trophy semi-final against Uttarakhand.
Batting at the Ekana Stadium in Lucknow, the left-hander produced a commanding innings under pressure to anchor Karnataka’s charge in a high-stakes semi-final match. Reaching the milestone in 288 deliveries, Padikkal mixed patience with authority as he hammered the Uttarakhand attack through the day.
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Karnataka’s innings started on a shaky note with the early dismissal of opener Mayank Agarwal, but a partnership followed that decisively turned the match around. Padikkal along with KL Rahul put together a massive 278-run stand as Uttarakhand chased the game.
Rahul eventually departed for 141, caught and bowled by Aditya Rawat, but Padikkal continued unperturbed and carried Karnataka forward with the kind of long-term control that first-class cricket rewards.
Padikkal’s knock not only took Karnataka past the 400-run mark, but also stood out as one of his best domestic efforts, eclipsing his previous career record of 193 from the 2023–24 season.
PADIKKAL’S HOME POWERSHOW
Padikkal ended up making a brilliant 232 off 330 balls, hammering 29 fours and three sixes in an innings that underlined his growing maturity in red-ball cricket.
With his 116th run, the Karnataka captain crossed 3500 runs in first-class cricket. He now has over 3,616 runs in 53 matches at an average hovering around 42, with nine centuries and 19 half-centuries to his name.
This year’s Ranji season has been particularly productive. In nine innings across five matches, Padikkal has already crossed 520 runs at an average of over 60, including two hundreds and a fifty.
Traditionally an opener, Padikkal is increasingly taking over the No.3 role for Karnataka, showcases his ability to absorb pressure early and then build long innings. This adaptability, combined with his temperament, has strengthened his case as a middle-order option in India’s red-ball plans.
WILL PADIKKAL GET THE TEST RECALLED?
Padikkal had already had a brief taste of Test cricket when he featured in two Tests for India. He scored 90 runs in three innings, including a debut half-century of 65 against England in Dharamsala in 2024.
However, his numbers at No.3 for India have been modest so far, with 25 runs in two innings at an average of 12.50. That said, the selectors continued to look for stability and depth in the Test middle order, especially with long overseas cycles and transitions looming.
Padikkal’s ability to bat for time, construct big innings and now playing on the biggest domestic stage could put him back in contention.
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Issued by:
Debodinna Chakraborty
Published on:
February 16, 2026