Devdutt Padikkal Rewrites VHT History, Becomes First Batter Ever to Have Three 600+ Seasons

While having already made his Test and T20I debut, Devdutt Padikkal still awaits his maiden ODI cap for India despite his domestic success.

Devdutt Padikkal Rewrites VHT History, Becomes First Batter Ever to Have Three 600+ Seasons

Devdutt Padikkal has scored 600+ runs in the ongoing 2025-26 Vijay Hazare Trophy. (via Sportstar)

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Devdutt Padikkal has looked unstoppable in the ongoing 2025-26 Vijay Hazare Trophy, after having recorded his fifth 50+ score in a group-stage encounter against Rajasthan. The Karnataka batter is now the first player in VHT history to have scored 600+ runs across three different seasons. 

Padikkal seems to be enjoying a purple patch, after he most recently etched his name in the record books. The left-hander’s knock of 91 runs off 82 balls in Karnataka’s elite group-stage match against Rajasthan in Ahmedabad, helped his team post a first-innings total of 324/7. Although he missed out on a hundred by nine runs, Padikkal’s contribution, along with a 100 from captain Mayank Agarwal, secured the team’s sixth straight win. 

The 25-year-old’s unbelievable run with the bat has been central to Karnataka’s success in the VHT, with Devdutt Padikkal now standing tall as the season’s second-highest run-getter. He has 605 runs in six innings at a superb average of 100.83. Padikkal began his campaign with an innings of 147 runs against Jharkhand, which he then followed up with a 124-run score against his home state, Kerala.

After being dismissed for only 22 runs against Tamil Nadu, he quickly recovered his form, scoring back-to-back centuries against Puducherry and Tripura. The RCB star has now accomplished a milestone that even List-A icons such as Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Sachin Tendulkar cannot match. Following his impressive performance against Rajasthan, the 25-year-old became the first batsman to accumulate 600+ runs in three separate Vijay Hazare Trophy seasons.

Furthermore, he is one of only three batsmen, alongside Mayank Agarwal and Ruturaj Gaikwad, to have achieved 600+ runs in a VHT season more than once. Padikkal’s first taste of this historic achievement was during the 2019-20 season, when he amassed 609 runs in 11 matches. He followed this up in the 2020-21 season by scoring a remarkable 737 runs in just seven innings at an outstanding average of 147.40.

Padikkal’s consistency is unmatched, considering he also had a season with over 300 runs in the recently concluded Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. Despite these impressive numbers, he has not been included in the Indian ODI squad for the home series against New Zealand, starting next week.

Devdutt Padikkal finally addresses Team India selection heartbreak

In-form Devdutt Padikkal deserved a spot in the Indian squad for the upcoming three-match ODI series against New Zealand, given his exploits in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. In six matches in India’s domestic List-A competition, the 25-year-old has notched up four hundreds. 

Devdutt Padikkal on Team India exclusion
Devdutt Padikkal had a mature reaction on his Team India exclusion, despite recent success in the 50-over format. (via News 18)

Despite his fantastic scoring run, Padikkal has been made to wait by the selectors for a place in the ODI setup. He is not a part of the 15-member squad that will be playing three matches against the Blackcaps at home, starting January 11. Instead, the NZ series will see Shubman Gill return to captain the team. Additionally, vice-captain Shreyas Iyer will make his comeback after recovering from a spleen injury.

In an interview regarding his non-selection, Devdutt Padikkal, who was hoping to make his ODI debut against New Zealand, reacted with maturity. The left-hander acknowledged the complicated nature of the selection process. Padikkal exclaimed that the intense competition means many other batters have also performed exceptionally well, and he reaffirmed his intent to continue scoring runs in domestic cricket.

I wouldn’t say it was disappointing. Yes, I was looking at the selection… But at the same time, I understood that there are so many batters in the line and everyone has been doing really well. And it’s not that easy to push into that one-day side.

The Karnataka batter is not the only player whose exclusion from the side has sparked outcry. Ruturaj Gaikwad, despite being in excellent form after scoring a brilliant century in the second ODI of the home series against South Africa, was also excluded from the squad.

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