Duleep Trophy: Devdutt Padikkal bounces back with crucial half-century

After eight quick wickets on the second day, Anantapur's conditions started getting better for the batting team. It was evident when the Karnataka batter Devdutt Padikkal joined the swashbuckling Shreyas Iyer out in the middle. 

But the worry was that India D were stuttering at 40/2. That’s when both Padikkal and Iyer employed quite an aggressive approach, beginning with the Mumbaikar taking on Vyshak Vijaykumar. Padikkal started his knock, where he showed pretty some nerves. 

The Karnataka batter was coming on the back of quite an ordinary season at the Maharaja T20 league, where he could only score 253 runs in the campaign, averaging 25.3. But here, he had a point to prove, especially with the way his stocks have fallen over the last year or so. But his nerves slowly started settling in once he got a four off Anshul Kamboj. 

The left-hander started didn’t spare Himanshu Chauhan or Vyshak, either, moving briskly to 14 off just two overs. However, he was sedate over the next few overs, watching Iyer put on a show at the other end. 

Once Iyer was back in the dressing room, Padikkal quickly changed gears with a four off his Karnataka mate Vyshak’s bowling. Over the next two overs, the left-hander absolutely smacked the living hell out of Vyshak with two more boundaries through the extra-cover region, moving to 35 off 31 balls. 

Padikkal eventually brought up his half-century in 63 deliveries, reminding the selectors of his talent in Anantapur. However, his stay didn’t last too long after he brought up his half-century with a tiny spike off Manav Suthar’s bowling, ending his innings. 

But not without him reminding one and all of what he can do.

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