‘I thought my cricket career was over’: Devdutt Padikkal begins toughest phase ahead of New Zealand Tests

India’s Devdutt Padikkal (PTI Photo) After a disappointing home game against Australia ‘A’, Devdutt Padikkal found his rhythm in New Zealand’s blustery conditions. Ahead of India’s two-Test series against the Black Caps, the 26-year-old spoke about a journey shaped by setbacks, self-doubt and success. Excerpts from the interview…How was your preparation for the New Zealand tests?Pretty good. I had a couple of matches at home and played a couple of India ‘A’ matches against Australia ‘A’. Of course the conditions were different but at the same time it is important that you still play red ball cricket. Now it’s just a matter of making a few adjustments.Could you elaborate on that?The wind is something that will play a big part, especially in Wellington. India’s ‘A’ games are key to really understanding the conditions and getting used to them quickly.How much is video analysis a part of your preparations?I watched the games played in New Zealand and even the England series that took place there (2024). Conditions may be different when we go there. It is important that I adapt quickly.I practice things that I need to work on technically. I try to make sure I play the ball late, play with my swing and try to get the little things right when I’m back home. As soon as I go there, I try to understand the conditions and then adapt to them.From Dharamshala to Perth to Galle, you’ve had a roller-coaster ride in Test cricket…Any cricketer would go through something similar. They would have had that stage in their life where they were trying to find answers. The last few years for me have been about trying to understand where my game is and what I need to work on to make sure that when I get another chance I’m ready.Have you had any conversations with the seniors in the team?I remember when I was in Australia I was talking to KL (Rahul) about what I could do next and what I needed to work on. The conversation was about trying to develop and improve your game every day.Were you disappointed to miss out on the England tour last year?100 percent! Overseas tours are always a great experience, especially for someone young like me.How difficult is it to navigate the different formats?It’s not easy. You have to split a lot when changing formats. At Ranji Trophy level, you still have seven to eight days of break between formats. If you try to mix red ball cricket and white ball cricket, it will not bring much success.Looking back, was the bout of illness in 2022 more difficult than any challenge on the pitch?That was definitely the hardest part of my life so far. I thought that would be the end of my cricket career because when you are out of cricket in India for so long, even if you miss one season, you feel like everyone else is miles ahead of you.