Bengaluru, April 22: “He (Padikkal) said many more to come, I told him you tell me that after you get the first one!” That’s what captain Virat Kohli told the Royal Challengers Bangalore youngster who was knocking on the doors off his maiden IPL ton.
It was a dream innings from Devdutt Padikkal who hammered the Rajasthan Royals bowlers to score an unbeaten 101 off 52.
Playing their fourth match of the season the Royal Challengers Bangalore put up an emphatic show with both bat and ball. After the bowlers restricted Rajasthan to 177 for 9 at the Wankhede, RCB openers Padikkal and Kohli stitched together an unbeaten opening stand to guide Bangalore to a 10-wicket victory over Rajasthan.
RCB chased down the target with 21 balls to spare.
Towards the fag end of the innings, captain Kohli kept giving the strike back to Padikkal who was on the verge of his maiden IPL century. As revealed by Kohli at the presentation ceremony, Padikkal told his skipper to finish off the game and said “Many more to come (century)!” In response Kohli told the Karnataka batsmen, “Tell me that after you get the first one.”
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And with that Kohli egged him on to take the big shot and bring up his century. And Padikkal did just that. Needing just three runs to reach the 100-mark, Padikkal hit Mustafizur on the first ball of the 16th over and drilled it past extra cover to bring up his maiden ton in style with a boundary.
After being down with Covid at the onset of the season, the RCB opener has bounced back and how! The Karnataka player had a memorable outing as he stamped his authority in the early stages of the tournament and guided RCB to a thumping 10-wicket victory over Rajasthan. Thursday’s win sees RCB continue their unbeaten run and climb to the top of the table.
Here’s how Twitter reacted to Padikkal’s maiden IPL ton:
The student and the master at work. Fabulous viewing. These Southpaws make it look easy - @devdpd07 @imVkohli @RCBTweets #RCBvsRR #IPL2021 pic.twitter.com/2HsQKN7nXZ
— Ravi Shastri (@RaviShastriOfc) April 22, 2021
Devdutt Padikkal reaches his maiden IPL Hundred. Champion knock from a champion youngster#RCBvRR pic.twitter.com/6n9d21ph16
— AK #MI💙 (@rantworld101) April 22, 2021
Well played Devdutt Padikkal! Super century, hopefully the first of many
— Cricketwallah (@cricketwallah) April 22, 2021
To over shadow someone like Virat Kohli, well played Dev Padikkal #RCBvsRR #IPL2021 @RCBTweets
— Vikrant Gupta (@vikrantgupta73) April 22, 2021
Biggest chases without losing a wicket in IPL:
— Bharath Seervi (@SeerviBharath) April 22, 2021
184 - Gambhir/Lynn, KKR v GL, 2017
181 - Du Plessis/Watson, CSK v KXIP, 2020
181 - Kohli/Padikkal, RCB v RR, 2021
163 - Tendulkar/D Smith, MI v RR, 2012
155 - Gilchrist/Laxman, DC v MI, 2008#IPL2021 #RCBvsRR #RCB
Virat Kohli is a damn gentleman! Hear what he had to say about getting Devdutt Padikkal to his century. Well played boys. Beautiful partnership. #RCBvRR #RCB pic.twitter.com/Lhz29IG54r
— Chloe-Amanda Bailey (@ChloeAmandaB) April 22, 2021
That was some hammering.
— Venkatesh Prasad (@venkateshprasad) April 22, 2021
RCB fans Watching Padikkal and Kohli today.#RCBvRR pic.twitter.com/0iktiyZ8Wh
Devdutt Padikkal has played a supremely masterful innings. The sheer power and dominance of his stroke-play was something to behold. And, he enjoys batting with his captain Virat Kohli. Well played @RCBTweets
— Ian bishop (@irbishi) April 22, 2021
Devdutt Padikkal is batting at a totally different level. And I love the way Virat has just allowed him to take centre stage, taking singles and putting him back on strike. Feel for RR, fought back superbly while batting, but RCB & their faithful fans deserve a great year
— Joy Bhattacharjya (@joybhattacharj) April 22, 2021
Fantastic innings from young Padikkal. And this year @RCBTweets are in ominous form, which is great to see. Kohli and Padikkal made it look very easy. #RCBvRR pic.twitter.com/fIUC9lImjP
— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) April 22, 2021