Former India batsman Virender Sehwag believes young batting prodigy Devdutt Padikkal can be one of the future stars of Indian cricket and has backed the youngster to replace Shikhar Dhawan in the future.
Dhawan has not been in the best of form in recent times. Leading the side in Sri Lanka, the southpaw began the series on a good note guiding India to victory in the first ODI. But his performances faded away as the series progressed.
Always with you❤🇮🇳 @SDhawan25 pic.twitter.com/9Y9bu6jdIT
— Arpan 18. (@_cric_holic42) July 30, 2021
While Dhawan’s place in the T20 World Cup squad hangs by the wire, Virender Sehwag has backed Devdutt Padikkal to take his place in the coming days.
“I really want to see him perform because the way he played a couple of innings, struck a century in the IPL, we saw some brilliant batting. When Shikhar Dhawan goes, he would be the right replacement for him. The only thing is that I want these Indian youngsters to first get opportunities in the sub-continent, because then when he goes to England, Australia or South Africa, there is confidence behind him,” Sehwag said on Cricbuzz.
Devdutt Padikkal has scored 668 runs from 21 matches
Devdutt Padikkal earned his maiden call-up for the ongoing Sri Lanka tour but had to wait for his debut as he failed to make the cut in the ODI series and the first T20I. However, his wait ended on the eve of the second T20I but he couldn’t make the most of it and was dismissed on 29, and managed just 9 runs off 15 balls in the third T20I.
The youngster, who looked in sublime form in the IPL 2021 before it was called off, will look to make the most of the opportunity when the tournament resumes in the UAE. So far, Devdutt Padikkal far notched up 668 runs in just 21 matches for his side Royal Challengers Bangalore in the IPL and has been one of the stand-out performers for the Virat Kohli-led side with the bat.
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