Devdutt Padikkal, who scored 211 runs across both innings of the first Test against Sri Lanka in Galle, has stated that there have been no conversations about his spot in the playing XI beyond the ongoing series.
Speaking in the post-day press conference, Padikkal asserted that it’s very important for him to seize the opportunity, adding that he doesn’t put a lot of emphasis on getting a run of games, which is beyond his control.
“Not really. I don’t think those kinds of conversations take place. It’s important that whenever you get that opportunity, you just take it. I don’t really go looking for those conversations. For me, it’s important that whenever I get that chance, I perform. I don’t really put too much emphasis on getting a run of games or things like that because in modern-day cricket, you cannot really expect those kinds of things,” Padikkal told reporters.
“It’s a highly result-driven business. I think whenever you go out there, you’re expected to perform, and if you’re not doing that, you’re always on the line in terms of your performance or your job or whatever it may be. I think for me, whenever I go out there, I try to score runs, and if I’m doing that, I’m sure I’ll play more games,” he added.
Padikkal has also shared his views on his mindset as a top-order batter, stating that he loves to keep things simple instead of overthinking and making too many plans. While Padikkal scored 167 runs in the first innings, he could score 44 runs in the second innings.
“Honestly, mindsets don’t change that much. Obviously, the situation of the game changes a little bit when you go in at No. 3. You understand what’s really happening on the wicket, especially if there has been an opening partnership; you always know what you’re going into. So I try to keep things as simple as possible, try not to really overthink it and try not to make plans too much,” he stated.
