SRH v RCB: Happy to be training with Virat Kohli, says Devdutt Padikkal after IPL fifty on debut

Devdutt Padikkal had finished as the top-scorer in the last season of the Vijay Hazare Trophy and Syed Mushtaq Ali tournament.

Devdutt Padikkal, who opened the batting with Australia's Aaron Finch, said he has been spending time with his skipper Virat Kohli to learn the tricks of the trade.

Devdutt Padikkal accepted that the Dubai track was a little difficult to bat on, on Monday, but the Royal Challengers Bangalore batsman is quite satisfied with how things turned out.

"It was pretty difficult to bat on. We have a good total now. Looking forward to defending. It was great to get the half century out of the way. It was the first game and I wanted to start off well. I am happy to have done that," said the Karnataka batsman, who slammed a 42-ball 56 on his IPL debut, during the innings break.

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The left-hander, who opened the batting with Australia's Aaron Finch, also added that he has been spending time with his skipper Virat Kohli to learn the tricks of the trade. "(I am) So happy to be training with Kohli. I was just eating his ears trying to pick up as much as possible. He said who you face doesn't matter as long as you have confidence in yourself."

The last player to score a half-century on IPL debut was Sam Billings in 2016. While the last Indian was Kedar Jadhav in 2010, Shreevats Goswami in 2008 is the only other RCB player to have achieved this feat.

Sunrisers Hyderabad need 164 runs to win.