India, April 7 -- Devdutt Padikkal's return to Royal Challengers Bengaluru ahead of IPL 2025 did more than bring him back to familiar colours. It gave shape to a career that had begun to drift, and Padikkal himself has now made that clear with unusual honesty.

For a batter once seen as one of the brightest top-order prospects in the league, the years between his first RCB stint and this return were not smooth. There were changing teams, fading momentum and the kind of pressure that can make a player question not just his form, but his direction. That is why his latest remarks feel important.

Padikkal has described the 2025 auction as a defining moment in his journey, saying it was the moment he realised the kind of cricket he truly want...