India, April 6 -- Dinesh Karthik, the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) mentor and batting coach, feels that it would be difficult to keep Devdutt Padikkal out of the Indian team if he continues to perform in the 19th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL). The 25-year-old has begun the IPL 2026 season with a bang, scoring half-centuries in the opening two matches against the Sunrisers Hyderabad and Chennai Super Kings (CSK). Batting at No.3, Padikkal has managed to force the pace, and his strike rate has increased significantly compared to the last few seasons.

Padikkal entered the IPL 2026 season in a rich vein of form, scoring runs for fun in domestic cricket for the 2025-26 edition. In the Vijay Hazare Trophy, he scored 725 runs ...