Rajasthan Royals opening batter Devdutt Padikkal is excited to share the dressing room with Jos Buttler.
The England player is one of the best T20 batters in the world and it would be a great opportunity for Padikkal to pick Buttler’s brain in the upcoming season of the IPL.
Padikkal was roped in by Rajasthan Royals for a whopping amount of INR 7.75 Crores in the IPL mega auction. The left-hander from Karnataka had impressed while playing for Royal Challengers Bangalore in his two opening seasons of the tournament.
The southpaw has thus far scored 884 runs in 29 IPL matches at an average of 31.57 and a strike rate of 125.07. Consequently, he would look to continue the good show in the IPL while playing for his new franchise.
Meanwhile, Jos Buttler has all the experience under his belt and he would look to guide the young players of the team on the right path.
Devdutt Padikkal said, “I’m really excited about sharing the dressing room with Jos Buttler. He is just one of those meteoric cricketers – almost like how AB (de Villiers) was at Bangalore. He has that impact on the opposition bowling and I’m looking forward to batting with him.”
On the other hand, lanky fast bowler Prasidh Krishna was brought for INR 10 crores and he has taken giant strides in the recent past. Krishna can consistently bowl around 140 kmph and he can get extra bounce from the surface.
“Rajasthan Royals have always been a very proud franchise. I’ve heard great things from a lot of people who’ve been associated with the franchise. It’s been a good start here and I’m really looking forward to the coming two months with the team,” added Prasidh Krishna.
Meanwhile, Rajasthan Royals have a lot of Karnataka players as there are players like Karun Nair and KC Cariappa, which Krishna feels helped him settle into the new franchise.
Krishna added, “We’ve got a great bunch, and obviously, knowing guys like Devdutt, KC, and Karun helps to settle into a new team. Ever since we were picked up by the Royals, we’ve been eagerly waiting to have a great time with the franchise, and there’s a strong belief we can do well.”
The fast bowler is also looking forward to working with head coach Kumar Sangakkara and bowling coach Lasith Malinga, as they have all the experience.
“Kumar Sangakkara and Lasith Malinga have been legends of the game, and to have the chance to work with them is a great opportunity for me personally. I’ve been having a few conversations with Malinga, and I’m really enjoying learning from him.”
The inaugural champions will take on the Sunrisers Hyderabad in their opening clash of the season on March 29 at the MCA Stadium in Pune.
