IPL: 'Thought RCB Might Bench Me A Couple Of Games Before Giving Me A Start, Reveals Devdutt Padikkal

Stylish opener Devdutt Padikkal on Tuesday shared his Royal Challengers Bangalore debut match story, saying he wasn't expecting that he will get a game right from the start of the 2020 Indian Premier League (IPL) season.

"Simon actually came out and told me that you'll be playing the first game. I wasn't expecting it to be honest, I thought they might bench me for a couple of games before they gave me a spot in the squad," said Padikkal on The RCB Podcast while talking about his first game.

He said playing for RCB right from the first game gave him the required confidence.

"The fact that they immediately put in from the first game gave me so much confidence. They have that trust and belief in me that I can straightaway get into the team and start performing. All you need is confidence from the management and coaches," he said. Interestingly, Padikkal wasn't retained by RCB for IPL 2022.

Meanwhile, former South Africa batter AB de Villiers also shared his journey with the RCB.

"RCB to me is family. I mean it has been a life-changing 10-11 years to me. Like any other family, there are ups and downs. There are beautiful, there are amazing rides, there's a bit of everything. There are good relationships and then there are those which go sour and that is all part of the fun. I look back with no regrets," he said.

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"I think back on my career at RCB as the most amazing years of my life. I have had the privilege of experiencing IPL Cricket, the Indian crowd, and the Indian way of doing things for the last 15 years. Obviously growing up in India would have been interesting. Maybe I would have never played for India, who knows. It is tough to make it to the Indian team; you have to be a special player," he added.