Devdutt Padikkal received his first Test call-up to the national team after KL Rahul was declared unfit for the third Test of the five-match series between India and England.
The Karnataka batsman got the opportunity after scoring a brilliant century in the Ranji Trophy against Tamil Nadu in the presence of chief selector Ajit Agarkar. He made his India debut in 2021 when he played two T20Is against Sri Lanka and has since stayed away from the national team bench.
Devdutt Padikkal is having a fantastic year as he has been one of the best players in the Karnataka Ranji Trophy. He has amassed 556 runs in just six innings at a whopping average of 92.67 which includes three centuries.
Padikkal will replace KL Rahul in the team but a debut for him in the third Test is a bit predictable given that Sarafaraz Khan is already in the team ahead of him and has come into the Indian team after some exceptional performances with the bat. .
Talking to the media about his Test call-up, Devdutt Padikkal was ecstatic and said that he still can’t believe that he has been selected in the Indian Test squad for the third Test against England.
He was very proud of himself for the hard work he had put in over the years and thanked his family for always being there for him. He also faced tough times between his T20I debut and this Test call-up.
“The call has not yet been assimilated. The test team is always a dream, and this has come after a difficult few years. I feel very proud that all the hard work I have put in has paid off. “I can’t thank my family and supporters enough for staying by my side.” said Devdutt Padikkal.
Devdutt Padikkal suffered an intestinal problem that hampered his 2022
An intestinal problem forced him to miss the entire Vijay Hazare Trophy and he also struggled in the 2022-23 Ranji Trophy season. He lost 10 kilos due to his illness and spoke about it stating that it was one of the biggest challenges for him since he had to regain his physique and eat a proper diet to gain some muscles on his body. He also talked about how every game is important to him at this stage of his career.
“Coming back from the illness was very hard. The biggest challenge was getting physically fit. I had lost 10 kilos and I had to eat well and focus on regaining muscle and strength. At this point in my career every game counts and here I missed many games.” Padikkal said.
“It was worrying because there was a lot of competition. While it was a challenge, I had to focus on doing well when I returned. I worked very hard. “I started the season determined to win as many matches as possible for Karnataka.” he added.
Devdutt Padikkal may not make his debut in the third Test but the opportunity to wear the Test jersey will give a lot of positive hopes to the boy and he will soon be rewarded for his years of hard work. India and England will play the third Test of the five-match series at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Rajkot starting Thursday, February 15.