Daijiworld Media Network – Mumbai

Mumbai, Apr 8: Devdutt Padikkal credited his intense pre-season preparation after playing a valuable knock in Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s 12-run win over Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium on Monday.

Padikkal scored a brisk 37 off 22 balls, featuring three sixes and two fours, and shared a vital 91-run stand with Virat Kohli (67) for the second wicket. RCB skipper Rajat Patidar added to the firepower with a 32-ball 64, guiding the team to an imposing total of 221/5 in 20 overs.

Speaking to media after the match, Padikkal said, “Coming into this season, I knew I had a lot of work to do. I put in two solid months of training before the IPL, and I feel that effort is showing now.”

The young batter also praised Kohli’s consistency and influence on the team. “Batting with Virat is always a pleasure. What he does every season is incredible. Scoring 400 or 500 runs year after year is not easy. We all aim to learn from that level of consistency,” he said.

While RCB broke their 10-year winless streak at Wankhede, Padikkal remained grounded, stressing the importance of treating every match with equal focus.

“Every game matters doesn’t matter the opponent or venue. We approached this match the same way we did against CSK and KKR. Our goal is to win each game and carry the momentum forward,” he added.

RCB’s win on Monday was their first at Wankhede in over a decade, bringing renewed confidence as they look to build on this performance in the upcoming fixtures.