Devdutt Padikkal has always been easy on the eye. Timing, balance and seamless flow through the offside made him one of the most enjoyable batsmen in the Indian Premier League (IPL). But for all that elegance, there’s always been a lingering question of intent, especially in a format that requires you to take over the game from the first ball.
IPL 2026 answers this question in the most emphatic way possible. He is no longer the Padikkal who is taking it easy. This is the version that takes the risk of the first ball, clears the boundary early and forces the bowler to rethink his plans in the first over.
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And the numbers catch up with the eye test. The strike rate is pushing 185, the sixes are coming at a rate he’s never done before and a clear shift in how he approaches phases of the innings. This is not just a form. This is a transformation.
Against Gujarat Titans, the shift was in full display. Chasing 206, Padikkal smashed 55 off 27 balls, made a 20-ball fifty and put up a 115-run second-wicket stand with Virat Kohli. By the time he fell to Rashid Khan, the game had already decidedly tilted in Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s favour.
HOW PADIKKAL CHANGED HIS GAME
This is not a one-time shift. It’s part of a clear shift.
Padikkal’s strike rate in the first ten balls of his innings this season stands at 170.18, a massive jump from last year’s 126.51 and just 74.42 the year before. This change itself reflects a batsman who no longer eases into the innings but dictates it from the start.
In 99 T20 innings till 2024, his strike rate was 131.98. It has since jumped to 165.36 after 22 innings. In IPL 2026, it went even higher to 184.07.
You can see the intention in his work. Earlier, he was not known for consistently taking long deliveries. This season it has been reversed. His strike rate against length balls rose from 111.31 to 221.73, while his balls-to-six ratio improved drastically from 29.31 to 5.11.
That explains moments like the cover six over Mohamed Siraj or the flick over fine leg against Kagiso Rabada. These are not low-risk strokes. They are statements of intent.
“IT’S TIME TO FORGET THE PREVIOUS VERSION”
In the post-match press conference, Padikkal was clear that the change was deliberate.
“I think it’s time to forget the previous version. The conversations around me being different have gone on for too long. This is who I am now,” he said.
“That’s how a career goes. You identify the things you need to work on and then you work on them. I’m still young, I’m very happy with the progress I’ve made and I’m looking forward to what lies ahead.”
That clarity shows in how he approaches his shifts. No more hesitation, no more waiting time. He commits to his shots early and backs up his reach.
HOW THE RCB ENVIRONMENT HAS HELPED
Sometimes all a player needs is clarity. Padikkal seems to have found that out at RCB.
The move back to RCB played its part. Padikkal talked about the environment and it sounded like a dressing room that gave him a clear brief. Go out there, up your game and don’t argue.
“The moment I joined RCB, the set-up here was really good. The management gave me the direction and the path I wanted. DK and Emo, I can name everyone. The environment they created in this group was exceptional and that really helped me.”
That support can be seen in his role. It doesn’t just hold the end. He is trusted to take on the power play in and out of the power play, something he has fully embraced.
WHAT HAS CHANGED TECHNICALLY AND MENTALLY
Aggressiveness can attract attention, but it is built on details.
Padikkal pointed out that much of this shift comes from technical improvements. Small changes that allow him to access more areas and play with more intent.
“I think a lot of it is technical. There are a few changes that need to be made when you go from red-ball cricket to white-ball cricket. But at the end of the day, the confidence and self-belief has to remain the same.”
“Yes, I made some technical adjustments in the IPL. If you compare the videos of me batting in the Ranji Trophy and here, you can clearly see the changes I made.”
Those tricks are showing. He hit six sixes in just 27 balls against GT. Earlier, when he hit six sixes in an innings, it took him at least 46 deliveries. It was faster, sharper and much more ruthless.
NUMBERS BACK NEW PADIKKAL
The stats are starting to catch up.
Padikkal has 208 runs in six innings this season and is already closing in on his entire tally from last year. His strike rate is 184.07, comfortably the highest of his career.
Then come the sixes. 13 already this season. He hit 14 in the entire previous.
But more than the numbers, it’s the impact. His beginnings change the game early. Pitchers are pushed back in the power play. The chasers are controlled before they even tense up.
That 115-run stand with Kohli was a perfect example. Halfway through, the asking rate dropped to 8.80. The game was not just under control. It was already leaning in one direction.
Devdutt Padikkal always had game. IPL 2026 shows that he now has the intention to match him.
And that makes him a completely different problem for pitchers.
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Issued by:
Debodinna Chakraborty
Published on:
25 Apr 2026 13:08 IST
