Every Ranji hundred is special. No matter what, the grind [towards] getting a hundred is tough: Padikkal

 Devdutt Padikkal’s career-best First Class innings of 193 (216b, 24×4, 4×6), in opposition to Punjab in the 2023-24 Ranji Trophy opener right here on Saturday, couldn’t have come at a higher time.

The knock not solely put his facet in a dominating place, it additionally helped banish painful recollections from final season when he missed the first 4 matches tending to an intestinal problem that had required a number of hospital visits.

“That period was pretty frustrating more than anything else,” Padikkal stated after the day’s play. “I knew that I was batting pretty well before that and it so happened that I wasn’t able to contribute to my side.

“This year I want to make sure I help my team, try and win games for them. My relief was more to the fact that I was able to put my team in a commanding position.”

The method by which he scored his runs was spectacular too. Against a profession red-ball strike-rate of 53.35, Padikkal scored at 89.35, however all alongside performed risk-free cricket. His first six, in reality, got here solely after he bought previous 140.

“It was a wicket where it wasn’t easy to play aerial shots,” stated Padikkal, for whom it was a third First Class ton to go along with 11 half-centuries. “But as I settled, I got the confidence to clear the boundary.

“[To me] every Ranji hundred is special. No matter what, the grind [towards] getting a hundred is tough. I was a bit nervous in the 90s, and also in the 190s. But it was a special one.”