Devdutt Padikkal has carved a six-season IPL story of fearless left-handed batting, returning in 2025 to Royal Challengers Bengaluru where his journey began in 2020. Across 74 innings he has stacked 1,806 runs at a strike rate of 126, translating intent into 190 fours and 56 sixes—evidence of both placement and power. His standout knock is the 101* that delivered his only century so far, while eleven half-centuries underline the consistency that made him one of the league’s brightest young openers. After breakout seasons with RCB in 2020 and 2021, Padikkal switched to Rajasthan Royals, spending 2022-2023 at the top of their order before a 2024 stint with Lucknow Super Giants. Now back in Bengaluru, the 24-year-old brings a proven record—nearly 25 runs per outing—of giving his side flying starts and an ever-growing six-hitting range that has already cleared the ropes 56 times. With 1,430 balls of experience and an appetite for big scores, Padikkal remains a marquee IPL batsman to watch every time RCB takes the field.

Hardik Pandya IPL career story: 11 seasons, 2749 runs at a 146 strike-rate, 148 sixes, 10 half-centuries Hardik Pandya has been one of the Indian Premier League’s most explosive batting all-rounders since his 2015 debut with Mumbai Indians. Across 140 innings he has unleashed 2,749 runs off just 1,871 balls, translating to a fearsome strike-rate of 146—the sort of number that turns middle-overs into match-winning passages. He has cleared the ropes 148 times and found the boundary another 207 times, underlining why captains post straight long-on and deep mid-wicket for him from ball one. His highest score of 91 and ten half-centuries show he can both finish innings and anchor them when required. While Pandya’s primary currency is runs, he has also delivered 78 wickets in 107 bowling innings, including one five-for and five three-wicket bursts. Operating at an economy of 9.18 and a strike-rate of 20.87, he often bowls the difficult overs at the death, trusting his cutters and the slower ball. Having represented Mumbai Indians for eight of his eleven campaigns and captained Gujarat Titans to the 2022 title, Pandya’s dual-skill value has made him a marquee name every mega auction.

Note: This overview is partially generated using AI and is based on statistical data. Please verify with official sources for complete accuracy.