IPL 2026: Devdutt Padikkal attributes steady growth to state captaincy

Devdutt Padikkal’s rise in the ongoing IPL season has been marked not just by runs, but by a growing sense of awareness — of situations, of bowlers, and of his game. After his defining 27-ball 55 in Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s five-wicket win over Gujarat Titans on Friday at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium here, the southpaw pointed to a significant factor behind his growth— captaining Karnataka.