Devdutt Padikkal feared illness had ended his cricket career

Padikkal opens up on the setback that made him fear for his future

Devdutt Padikkal says a serious bout of illness in 2022 left him wondering whether his cricketing career was over. Speaking ahead of India’s two-Test series in New Zealand, the batter called it “the most difficult part of my life so far.”

“When you’re out of cricket in India for a period that long, even if you miss one season, it feels like everyone else is miles ahead of you,” Padikkal said. He described the following couple of years as a period of trying to understand where his game stood and what he needed to improve so he would be ready when another opportunity came.

Preparing for New Zealand’s swing and wind

Padikkal said he had prepared with sessions at home and red-ball matches for India A against Australia A. While those games were played in different conditions, he said the time in the middle mattered as he made adjustments for New Zealand, where wind—particularly in Wellington—could be a major factor.

His preparation has included watching footage of matches in New Zealand, including the 2024 England series, and working on playing the ball late and with the swing. Padikkal said the next step would be to read the conditions in person and adapt quickly.

Advice from Rahul and the challenge of switching formats

Padikkal recalled speaking with KL Rahul while in Australia about what he should work on. The message, he said, was to keep evolving and improving his game each day. He also acknowledged his disappointment at missing the previous year’s England tour, describing overseas trips as valuable experiences for a young player.

Moving between formats remains difficult, Padikkal said, and requires players to compartmentalise. He cautioned that trying to combine red-ball and white-ball approaches can undermine success, noting that even at Ranji Trophy level players may have only a week or so between formats.