New Delhi: Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s Devdutt Padikkal is not simply the elegant timer of the ball; he’s evolving into a whole T20 power. Recent off a blistering 61 towards Sunrisers Hyderabad, Padikkal, in an unique interview to TOI, opened up on the psychological reset behind his aggressive shift, the technical fine-tuning with RCB’s assume tank, and the readability of his position in a power-packed lineup. Because the IPL 2026 season intensifies, his ambitions stay firmly mounted on the India jersey. This season is the battle of fearless prodigies, heavyweights and legends, and Padikkal is set to belong amongst them. Excerpts… Q. That 61 off 26 towards Sunrisers Hyderabad… did it really feel like a continuation of your Vijay Hazare Trophy type, or was there a aware shift in strategy for the IPL? It’s very totally different while you go into an IPL recreation. However on the similar time, having runs is all the time a confidence booster. And having all these runs within the home season positively helped me be much more assured and calmer once I went on the market to bat. However on the finish of the day, it’s essential have a really aggressive strategy while you go into the IPL, and your mindset positively shifts. Q. You’ve gone from being seen as a classical top-order batter to somebody who can change gears explosively. What modified mentally and technically? There’s rather a lot that’s modified mentally in addition to technically. Firstly, mentally, you clearly must consider that you’re able to batting at a tempo that’s going to make you profitable within the IPL, and that’s one thing that I needed to work on rather a lot. I’ve grown up batting a sure means, and to make that shift just isn’t that straightforward. And, in fact, technically, I’ve labored with Andy Flower, Mo Bobat and Dinesh Karthik rather a lot over the past couple of years to get sure issues proper when it comes to my stability whereas I bat, the positions that I get into earlier than the ball is launched, and another batting-related points. I gained’t go into the technicalities, however there’s positively rather a lot that has gone into attending to the place I’m proper now. Q. With Royal Challengers Bengaluru having a number of power-hitters, how do you outline your position on this batting lineup? It’s fairly clear for me what I must do once I go on the market. I must preserve the momentum going. We’ve got some actually explosive batters all through the lineup. And when you have got that type of firepower, it’s essential just remember to don’t break that momentum. That’s what I look to do and simply preserve it easy from there. Q. You’ve had good IPL seasons earlier than, and the India call-up hasn’t come as often as maybe your numbers deserve. Does that also drive you, or have you ever made peace with simply controlling what you may? In fact, enjoying for India is the final word objective! And everytime you rating runs, you hope that you’re being observed and that you’re within the reckoning to play for the nation, and that is still the identical. However on the finish of the day, you may solely management what you may, and that’s what I’m seeking to do. Hopefully, if I proceed to carry out nicely and proceed to do the suitable issues, I’ll get there ultimately. Q. With a busy worldwide calendar forward, do you permit your self to consider that India jersey, or is {that a} dialog you intentionally preserve out of your head? By no means! I don’t attempt to preserve it out of my head as a result of that may be a objective that I need to obtain, and that’s one thing that retains driving me. It’s vital that you simply proceed to dream and proceed to be sure that these ideas aren’t leaving you. It’s vital that you simply proceed to consider that you simply’re going to make it, and having that objective in entrance of me pushes me much more.