Devdutt Padikkal Biography: Age, Career, IPL, RCB, Records & Latest Updates
Devdutt Padikkal is an Indian left-handed cricketer who rose to fame with RCB and later represented India in international cricket. Know about his IPL journey, India career, records, major achievements and latest 2026 Test comeback.
Devdutt Padikkal is an Indian cricketer known for his left-handed batting and calm approach at the top of the order. He first became widely recognised during the 2020 IPL season, when he made an impressive debut for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB).
Since then, his career has taken several turns. He has played for different IPL teams, represented India in T20Is and Tests, faced periods of poor form and eventually returned to RCB. In 2026, he made another important step in his career by scoring his maiden Test century against Sri Lanka and going on to make 167 runs.
Padikkal's journey is interesting because it shows how a young player can deal with both early success and difficult phases while continuing to work towards a place in international cricket.
Devdutt Padikkal Biography – Quick Facts
Information | Details |
|---|---|
Full Name | Devdutt Padikkal |
Date of Birth | 7 July 2000 |
Age | 26 years in 2026 |
Birthplace | Edappal, Kerala, India |
Nationality | Indian |
Profession | Cricketer |
Batting Style | Left-handed |
Bowling Style | Right-arm off-break |
Playing Role | Top-order batter |
Domestic Team | Karnataka |
IPL Team | Royal Challengers Bengaluru |
IPL Debut | 2020 |
T20I Debut | 2021 |
Test Debut | 2024 |
Known For | IPL performances and international cricket |
Early Life and Cricket Journey
Devdutt Padikkal was born on 7 July 2000 in Edappal, Kerala. His family later moved to Bengaluru, where he began developing his cricket skills.
Bengaluru became an important part of his early cricket journey. He joined structured cricket training and started playing competitive cricket at a young age. He represented Karnataka at different age-group levels before moving into senior domestic cricket.
Padikkal's progress was gradual. He did not immediately become a national-level player. His performances in youth cricket and the Karnataka Premier League helped him gain attention and eventually opened the door to higher-level cricket.
His left-handed batting and ability to score runs consistently made him a player to watch.
Domestic Cricket Career
Padikkal made his first-class debut for Karnataka during the 2018–19 Ranji Trophy season.
Playing regular domestic cricket gave him an opportunity to develop his technique outside the shorter T20 format. He continued to improve and became part of Karnataka's batting group.
One of his notable domestic performances came in the 2021–22 Ranji Trophy, when he scored 178 runs against Puducherry. The innings was another indication that he could perform in longer-format cricket as well.
His domestic performances remained important even after he became an IPL player because they gave him experience against different bowling attacks and in different playing conditions.
Karnataka Premier League
Before making his IPL debut, Padikkal also played in the Karnataka Premier League.
He represented the Ballari Tuskers, where his performances helped increase his visibility among selectors and IPL scouts.
The experience was useful because T20 cricket requires batters to score quickly while still maintaining control. Padikkal's performances in the competition helped prepare him for the step up to the IPL.
IPL Debut with RCB
Padikkal's major breakthrough came when he was picked by Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
He made his IPL debut in 2020, and it did not take long for him to make an impression.
In his first IPL season, Padikkal scored 473 runs, becoming RCB's leading run-scorer that year. He also won the Emerging Player Award.
For a player making his IPL debut, the numbers were impressive. He looked comfortable against experienced bowlers and quickly became one of the young Indian batters attracting attention in the tournament.
His performances also made him popular among RCB supporters.
2020 IPL Season
The 2020 IPL season remains a major milestone in Padikkal's career.
He was trusted to open the batting and responded with consistent performances throughout the tournament. His ability to build an innings while still finding boundaries suited the T20 format.
Scoring 473 runs in his first season gave him a strong start to his IPL career.
More importantly, it showed that he could handle the pressure of playing for a major franchise alongside experienced international players.
First IPL Century
Padikkal reached another milestone during the 2021 IPL season.
Playing against Rajasthan Royals, he scored his first IPL century and finished unbeaten on 101 runs.
The innings was significant because it came after his successful debut season. It showed that his early success with RCB was not simply a one-season performance.
By this point, Padikkal had established himself as a reliable young opening batter in the IPL.
India Debut
His performances in domestic cricket and the IPL eventually earned him an opportunity with the Indian team.
Padikkal made his T20I debut against Sri Lanka in July 2021.
Breaking into India's limited-overs team was not easy because of the competition for places in the top order. Although his first opportunities were limited, the international debut was an important achievement.
He continued to play domestic cricket and the IPL while waiting for further chances with India.
Move to Rajasthan Royals
After spending his first IPL seasons with RCB, Padikkal moved to the Rajasthan Royals in 2022.
The move gave him a new environment and a different role within an IPL team.
He scored 376 runs during the 2022 season, showing that he could continue contributing after leaving RCB.
His time with Rajasthan also gave him experience of playing in a different team setup and adapting to new batting combinations.
Lucknow Super Giants
Ahead of the 2024 season, Padikkal was traded to Lucknow Super Giants.
Unfortunately, the season was difficult for him. He scored only 38 runs in seven innings.
It was a noticeable dip compared with the strong start he had made to his IPL career.
However, poor seasons are part of many cricketers' careers. Padikkal continued working on his game rather than allowing one difficult season to define his career.
Return to RCB
Padikkal returned to Royal Challengers Bengaluru during the 2025 IPL mega auction.
RCB bought him for his base price of ₹2 crore, bringing him back to the franchise where his IPL career had started.
The return proved important for Padikkal. He appeared more confident and began producing the kind of attacking cricket that had made him successful during his early IPL years.
In the 2025 IPL season, he scored 247 runs in 10 matches at a strike rate of 150.61 before a hamstring injury brought his campaign to an early end.
RCB eventually won their first IPL title in 2025, making the season particularly memorable for the franchise and its supporters.
Devdutt Padikkal in IPL 2026
Padikkal continued with RCB in the 2026 IPL season.
His return to Bengaluru gave him an opportunity to rebuild his confidence after a few inconsistent seasons.
He also spoke about how returning to RCB helped him rediscover the style of cricket he wanted to play.
His early performances in the 2026 season included important contributions with the bat, and his improved form added to the feeling that he was finding his rhythm again.
The IPL remained an important part of his career, but his biggest moment of 2026 came in Test cricket.
Test Cricket Career
Padikkal made his Test debut against England in Dharamshala in March 2024.
He made a promising start, scoring 65 runs in his first Test innings.
He was later part of India's Test setup during the tour of Australia. However, regular opportunities were difficult to get because India had several established batters competing for places in the top order.
For a young player, the challenge was not only scoring runs but also remaining ready when an opportunity came.
That patience became important in 2026.
Maiden Test Century in 2026
Padikkal's biggest international breakthrough came during India's Test series against Sri Lanka in August 2026.
He was given an opportunity to bat at No. 3 in the Galle Test and made the most of it.
Padikkal scored his maiden Test century, reaching the milestone with a composed innings. He continued batting after reaching three figures and eventually made 167 runs.
The innings became the highest Test score of his career.
His century was particularly memorable because it came on 15 August, India's Independence Day.
The performance was an important moment for Padikkal after spending time outside India's regular Test XI.
Career-Best 167 Against Sri Lanka
Padikkal eventually finished with 167 runs, including 15 fours and a six.
The innings showed a different side of his batting compared with the aggressive style often seen in the IPL. He was patient when required but also attacked the Sri Lankan bowling when opportunities appeared.
His ability to handle spin was especially important in Galle.
The innings helped India build a huge first-innings total and gave Padikkal a major milestone in his Test career.
For the 26-year-old batter, the performance could become an important turning point as he looks to establish himself in India's Test side.
Batting Style
Padikkal is a left-handed top-order batter.
He is known more for timing and placement than simply relying on power. His height also gives him good reach, which can be useful against both pace and spin.
In limited-overs cricket, he can accelerate the scoring when he gets settled. In Test cricket, he has shown that he can also play patiently and build a long innings.
His 167 against Sri Lanka was a good example of his ability to adapt his batting to the situation.
Strength Against Spin
One of the positive aspects of Padikkal's recent Test performances has been his ability to deal with spin.
Playing in Galle is a demanding challenge for a batter because the conditions can provide significant assistance to spinners.
Padikkal used his feet well and looked comfortable against the Sri Lankan spinners during his century.
This is an encouraging sign for his future in Test cricket, especially because India regularly plays in conditions where spin becomes an important factor.
Devdutt Padikkal and RCB
RCB has played a major role in Padikkal's career.
The franchise gave him his IPL debut in 2020, when he immediately became one of the team's leading run-scorers.
After playing for Rajasthan Royals and Lucknow Super Giants, he returned to RCB in 2025.
The second chapter of his RCB career has been different from the first. Instead of being an unknown youngster, he returned as a player with several years of IPL and international experience.
His return also came during a historic period for RCB, as the franchise won its first IPL title in 2025.
Personal Life
Padikkal generally keeps his personal life private.
Most of the public attention around him is related to cricket rather than his relationships or lifestyle.
For this reason, there is limited need to include personal details that are not directly relevant to his cricket career.
His journey from Karnataka cricket to the IPL and then to international cricket is much more significant to his biography.
Net Worth
There are several estimates of Devdutt Padikkal's net worth on the internet, but his exact personal wealth has not been officially disclosed.
His earnings come mainly from professional cricket, including IPL contracts and domestic and international cricket.
Because personal investments, endorsements and other income sources are not completely public, it is better to avoid presenting an unverified net-worth figure as fact.
Major Career Achievements
Some of Padikkal's notable achievements include:
IPL debut for RCB in 2020
473 runs in his debut IPL season
IPL Emerging Player Award in 2020
First IPL century of 101* in 2021
India T20I debut in 2021
First-class score of 178 for Karnataka
Test debut against England in 2024
Return to RCB in 2025
Part of RCB's first IPL title-winning squad
Maiden Test century against Sri Lanka in 2026
Career-best Test score of 167
Latest Update on Devdutt Padikkal
The biggest recent development in Padikkal's career is his successful return to India's Test team.
His 167 against Sri Lanka in Galle in August 2026 was his first Test century and his highest score in the format.
The innings came after a period when he had struggled to establish a regular place in India's international teams.
His performance has once again put his name into discussions about India's future top-order options.
Whether he can turn this opportunity into a regular Test place will depend on how consistently he performs in the matches ahead.
Why Devdutt Padikkal's Career Is Important
Devdutt Padikkal's career is interesting because of the way it has developed over the years. He went from being a young Karnataka batter to making an immediate impact in the IPL, earning an India call-up and later making his Test debut.
His journey has also included difficult periods. After a strong start with RCB, he experienced inconsistent seasons and moved between IPL teams before returning to Bengaluru. Instead of letting those setbacks define his career, he continued working on his batting and earned another opportunity with India.
His 167 against Sri Lanka in 2026, including his maiden Test century, added another important chapter to his career. It showed that he can adapt his game beyond T20 cricket and compete in the longer format as well.
For Padikkal, the next challenge will be turning these performances into consistency and establishing himself as a regular part of India's batting lineup.
Interesting Facts About Devdutt Padikkal
He was born on 7 July 2000.
His birthplace is Edappal, Kerala.
He grew up and developed his cricket career in Bengaluru.
He is a left-handed batter.
He bowls right-arm off-break when required.
He made his IPL debut in 2020.
He scored 473 runs in his first IPL season.
He won the Emerging Player Award in 2020.
His first IPL century was an unbeaten 101.
He made his India T20I debut in 2021.
He made his Test debut in 2024.
He returned to RCB in 2025.
He was part of RCB's first IPL title-winning campaign.
His first Test century came against Sri Lanka in 2026.
His highest Test score is currently 167.
Frequently asked questions
Who is Devdutt Padikkal?
Devdutt Padikkal is an Indian cricketer and left-handed top-order batter who represents Karnataka in domestic cricket and Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the IPL.
How old is Devdutt Padikkal?
Devdutt Padikkal was born on 7 July 2000, making him 26 years old in 2026.
Where was Devdutt Padikkal born?
He was born in Edappal, Kerala, India.
Which IPL team does Devdutt Padikkal play for?
He plays for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB).
When did Devdutt Padikkal make his IPL debut?
He made his IPL debut for RCB in 2020.
How many runs did Padikkal score in his first IPL season?
He scored 473 runs in the 2020 IPL season and won the Emerging Player Award.
When did Padikkal score his first IPL century?
He scored his first IPL century in 2021, making an unbeaten 101 against Rajasthan Royals.
When did Devdutt Padikkal make his India debut?
He made his T20I debut against Sri Lanka in July 2021.
When did Devdutt Padikkal make his Test debut?
He made his Test debut against England in March 2024.
What is Devdutt Padikkal's highest Test score?
His highest Test score is currently 167, scored against Sri Lanka in Galle in August 2026.
Has Devdutt Padikkal scored a Test century?
Yes. He scored his maiden Test century against Sri Lanka in August 2026 and went on to make 167.
Is Devdutt Padikkal married?
His personal life is generally kept private, and there is no need to include unverified relationship information in the biography.
What is Devdutt Padikkal's net worth?
His exact net worth is not officially confirmed. Online estimates should therefore be treated as approximate rather than verified figures.
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