IPL 2026: Always had that soft spot for RCB, says Devdutt Padikkal

Devdutt Padikkal has revealed that he has always had a special fondness for Royal Challengers Bengaluru. Prior IPL 2025, Padikkal featured for RCB in 2020 and 2021. He is one of the 17 members from RCB to have been retained ahead of the IPL 2026 auction.

The left-handed batter called the feeling “weird” while playing for other franchises in the IPL. He also admitted that he has always wanted RCB to perform to the best of their ability right from his childhood days. 

“It was weird. My friends and family were supporting me. Coming out to play for other teams against RCB was always a little bit weird. Obviously, I’m still motivated the same way in terms of wanting to perform and doing things for the franchise I was playing for. But I’ve always had that soft spot for RCB and always looked at their games as games I love to watch and see them do well as well,” shared Padikkal while speaking on RCB Podcast.

Padikkal also reflected on the feeling of not being able to play in front of the Chinnaswamy during his first two seasons with the franchise due to Covid-19 restrictions.

“I’ve always wanted to play in front of the Chinnaswamy in the IPL and whenever I’ve come here and played for other teams, it’s not been the same to be honest. It’s never felt the same in terms of doing it for RCB. When I was in RCB before, unfortunately we couldn’t have games here so it was pretty heartbreaking,” he added.

RCB broke their title drought in Padikkal’s third season with them. He scored 247 runs in 10 matches at a strike rate of 150.60. Virat Kohli and Josh Hazlewood were the standout performers for the Bengaluru-based franchise.

Padikkal recently represented Karnataka in the 2025 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and ended up as their second leading run-getter with 309 runs in six matches at an impressive 167.02, with 36 fours and 12 sixes.