Devdutt Padikkal got his IPL 2026 campaign off to a flyer on his home turf at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Saturday. Facing off against Sunrisers, Padikkal slammed a quick-fire half-century in just 21 balls in RCB's chase of 2021 in the opening game. The left-hander looked in sublime touch, picking gaps with utmost ease against a hapless bowling attack.
Padikkal walked into bat after RCB lost Phil Salt early in the chase. The left-hander got off to a flying start, smashing a six off the first ball for a maximum. He kept the tempo going with regular boundaries. He was particularly aggressive against David Payne, hitting the left-arm seamer for 18 runs in the fourth over.
He eventually reached his half-century in just 21 balls, helping Virat Kohli settle into his rhythm at the other end. The left-hander was eventually dismissed for a momentum changing 61 off just 26 balls, all but sealing RCB's grip on the contest.
