Devdutt Padikkal’s stunning form in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 with Royal Challengers Bengaluru has again sparked calls for his return to Team India. But former India spinner Virender Sehwag believes the bigger hurdle is not performance but lack of space in an already stacked batting line-up.
The left-hander’s form has brought him back into the limelightbut the bigger question remains the space in India’s packed batting order. In an interview with Cricbuzz, Sehwag pointed out the depth of Indian cricket that makes it difficult for even well-rounded players to penetrate.
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“Dinesh Karthik says Padikkal should play for India, but every season there are players who feel they should play for India. But where is the space in the Indian team?” said Sehwag.
“There is no room for Rajat Patidar, Shreyas Iyer, Devdutt Padikkal and there are many more players. There is no room for Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Yashasvi Jaiswal. Five players score but who do you drop for them? Where is the space?”
That’s the reality right now. You can score runs, you can win games and still find the door closed because there are just too many players doing the same thing.
HOW GOOD WAS PADIKKAL IN IPL 2026?
Padikkal has not been good only this season. He was different.
Playing for Royal Challengers Bengaluru, he has moved away from the “take your time” version of himself. Now he walks in and starts swinging from the first over.
The best example came against Gujarat Titans. Chasing 206, he smashed 55 off 27 balls, reaching his fifty in 20 deliveries and hitting six sixes. Along with Virat Kohli, he added 115 runs for the second wicket and basically killed the chase in the middle.
The numbers show how big the shift was. His strike rate in the first ten balls of this season is 170.18. Last year it was 126.51. Only 74.42 the year before.
Overall, the jump is even crazier. After 99 T20 innings at 131.98, he now stands at 165.36 in his last 22. Only in IPL 2026 has this number crossed 180.
In the first six games, he scored over 200 runs and is close to last season’s number. But more than the runs, it’s the impact. Powerups are no longer silent when he’s around. Bowlers are under pressure from ball one.
HOW IS THE BATTLE OF TEAMS INDIA FOR PADIKKALA?
And yet, this is where things get more complicated.
In the T20Is itself, you already have Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan in the mix. Then there is Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill who are already in the queue ahead.
Throw in Tilak Varma, T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav and even emerging names like Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and it becomes a crowd.
“If a senior player gets a break, then some of these players might get a chance. But in this team where the competition is so tough, I would say I don’t need a break. Because if I take a break and someone else comes in my place and scores, then I will be left out,” Sehwag added.
The ODI side is no easier. Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Gill have a strong influence on the top order while players like Ruturaj Gaikwad and Jaiswal are also waiting.
So where does Padikkal fit in?
He’s doing his job right now. Score fast, win games and change perceptions. The rest can just come down to timing.
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Issued by:
Debodinna Chakraborty
Published on:
25 Apr 2026 15:36 IST
