In a display of relentless consistency, Karnataka's batting sensation Devdutt Padikkal has carved his name into the record books of the Vijay Hazare Trophy (VHT). Despite falling short of a fifth century in six innings, the left-handed opener achieved a unique feat during the match against Rajasthan at the Gujarat College Ground in Ahmedabad on Tuesday, January 6, 2026.
A Purple Patch for the Record Books
Padikkal's phenomenal form in the domestic 50-over tournament continued as he scored 91 runs. This knock marked his fifth fifty-plus score in just six innings this season. His dismissal, to left-arm spinner Manav Suthar, denied him what would have been a fifth hundred of the campaign. Nonetheless, his aggressive batting propelled him past the 600-run mark for the season in merely six outings.
This achievement is not a one-off for the 26-year-old. It represents the third time in his career he has amassed over 600 runs in a single Vijay Hazare Trophy edition. He first announced his arrival with 609 runs in 11 innings in the 2019-20 season. He then obliterated records in the 2020-21 edition, smashing 737 runs in just eight innings, a run that included four consecutive centuries.
Standing Tall in List A Cricket
With this latest milestone, Padikkal has become the first batter in the history of the Vijay Hazare Trophy to have three separate 600-plus run seasons. His dominance in the List A format is further highlighted by his astronomical average. Across 38 innings, Padikkal boasts an average of 83.62, the highest for any player with at least 2000 runs in List A cricket.
This places him well ahead of contemporaries like Ruturaj Gaikwad (57.69) and the legendary Virat Kohli (57.67), underscoring his extraordinary productivity. His career tally in the VHT now includes 13 centuries from just 34 innings, a strike rate only surpassed by Ankeet Bawane (15 in 99 matches) and Ruturaj Gaikwad (14 in 57 matches).
Staggering Consistency and a Selection Puzzle
Padikkal's sequence of scores in the Vijay Hazare Trophy since his debut paints a picture of a run-machine: 58, 2, 60, 8, 44, 79, 103*, 102*, 50, 92, 11, 52, 97, 152, 126*, 145*, 101, 64, 4, 0, 71, 117, 70, 93*, 114, 102, 86, 8, 147, 124, 22, 113, 108, 91.
Despite this imperious run of form, the national selectors did not include him in the India ODI squad for the upcoming three-match series against New Zealand, starting January 11 in Baroda. This omission comes despite his limited opportunities at the next level, having played only two 50-over games for India A and three innings in the 2023 Deodhar Trophy.
Padikkal's record-breaking season once again forces a conversation about his place in the national setup, proving that his appetite for big runs in domestic cricket remains insatiable.
