Hubballi: A few seasons ago, Devdutt Padikkal was fighting a different battle. A stomach ailment derailed his plans for the 2022-23 campaign, forcing the classy left-hander to step away and recuperate before returning to competitive cricket. Since then, Padikkar has rediscovered his rhythm and won the Test series against India nearly two years ago. On Tuesday, he will captain Karnataka in the Ranji Trophy final, a defining moment in his young career. On the other side stood a battle-hardened professional who started making his mark in domestic cricket when Padikkar was just a kid. Paras Dogra is enjoying a late flourish in his long career and hopes to lead his Jammu and Kashmir side to their first Ranji Trophy title.
Padikkal admitted that the transition of captaincy also brought challenges. “It’s not easy. At the same time, when you have the experience that I have around, it makes it a lot easier. I don’t feel the pressure, to be honest,” he said. “Scoring more than 1,000 runs in the semi-finals (against Uttarakhand) is a big confidence booster for both batsmen and bowlers. It gives them the freedom to enjoy the ball,” Padikkar added.
Johnson & Johnson’s confidence, on the other hand, comes from clear thinking. “We try to stay calm and composed. We will stick to our fundamentals. Also, our batting and bowling skills are good,” Dogra said.
J&K head coach Ajay Sharma reinforced this mentality, urging his players to strip names and reputations from the game. “We don’t think about the players – be it KL Rahul, Mayank Agarwal or anyone else. It’s a game of bat and ball. I tell the batsmen not to think about the bowler’s name but to see the ball and hit the ball. The bowlers also come into the game with a similar mentality,” Sharma said.
