IPL 2026: Why Devdutt Padikkal Is RCB’s Most Underrated Player This Season

After an injury cut short his previous IPL season, Devdutt Padikkal bounced back strongly in IPL 2026, quietly becoming one of RCB’s most consistent performers.

Devdutt Padikkal made his IPL debut in 2020.

Source : X, @IPL

Show Quick Read

Key points generated by AI, verified by newsroom

• Devdutt Padikkal: RCB's emerging consistent performer this IPL.
• Started IPL 2020 with RCB, won Emerging Player award.
• IPL 2026 stats: 454 runs, improved strike rate, strong partnership.

Devutt Padikkal IPL 2026: The Indian Premier League is a platform for young talent across the country. It gives players a stage to showcase their talent, skills, and understanding of the game. In the middle of all this, the Royal Challengers Bengaluru are trending as they continue their strong showcase this season in the Indian Premier League. And amid the team’s success, yet another player is emerging as one of their strongest performers this season. RCB have many star players, and somewhere between those big names, players who consistently perform often go under the radar.

One such player is Devdutt Padikkal. While he may not have received the appreciation he truly deserves, his performance this season has been exceptional.

Debut And IPL Journey

Devdutt Padikkal made his Indian Premier League debut when he was just 20 years old for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru.

The Bengaluru boy played the 13th edition of the IPL alongside legendary players like Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers, and many others. He had an impressive debut season in 2020, scoring 473 runs and winning the Emerging Player of the Season award.

He started his IPL journey in 2020, and this marks the sixth year of Devdutt playing in the tournament. However, after beginning his career with RCB, he was not retained by the franchise and was later picked by Rajasthan Royals.

At Rajasthan, he had an inconsistent performance as his batting role kept changing, though he remained part of the setup for multiple seasons.

Later, he got traded to Lucknow Super Giants in 2024, and eventually made a comeback to RCB in the previous season, where his performances were above par.

However, in IPL 2025, he scored 247 runs in 10 matches at a strike rate of 150.61, but suffered a hamstring injury in the middle of the tournament, forcing him to miss the remaining season.

RCB went on to win the IPL trophy after an 18-year wait that year, and despite leaving midway due to injury, Padikkal was appreciated not only by the team management but also by Virat Kohli, who openly backed and applauded him.

IPL 2026 For Padikkal

As of the ongoing IPL 2026 league stage, Devdutt Padikkal has emerged as one of the most consistent and dependable players for Royal Challengers Bengaluru this season.

He has played 14 matches so far and has 454 runs to his name at a strike rate of 174.61, with his highest score this season being 61 runs. One of the most interesting aspects of his season has been the improvement in his intent and strike rate, especially during the powerplay.

Another major talking point this season has been his partnership with Virat Kohli. Padikkal has shown a much more aggressive side to his batting and has contributed significantly to RCB’s momentum.

Now, as Royal Challengers Bengaluru are all set to play Qualifier 1 of the season, it will be exciting to see how Devdutt Padikkal performs and contributes to the team.