Ruturaj Gaikwad vs Devdutt Padikkal

Ruturaj Gaikwad and Devdutt Padikkal are arguably India’s two most in-form batters, as far as 50-over cricket is concerned. Both players are racking up races for fun on the domestic circuit right now, as well as over the past few years, consistently.

Despite their great consistency and run volume, they are only on the precipice of the Indian ODI team due to the intense competition for places. However, if space opens up, there are no other more deserving candidates than the aforementioned two to get an opportunity.

The duo recently failed to secure a place in the Indian squad for the upcoming ODI series against New Zealand despite putting up sensational numbers in the 2025-26 Vijay Hazare Trophy. Gaikwad, leading Maharashtra, showed adaptability in the middle order to prove his worth, while Padikkal was equally instrumental for Karnataka at the top of the order.

Padikkal played a huge role in Karnataka’s victory in the competition, while Maharashtra are also doing well in a tricky group thanks to Gaikwad’s exploits.

On this point, let’s compare the statistics of Devdutt Padikkal and Giikwad Travel in the Vijay Hazare Trophy.

#1 Total number of races

Although Ruturaj Gaikwad has played 24 more matches than Devdutt Padikkal in the tournament, there is only a difference of 655 points between them. The former had a head start after debuting in 2017, two years before the latter.

Both players made an instant impression in terms of runs as Gaikwad scored 132 runs on debut, while Padikkal also scored a half-century to kick-start his List A career while opening the innings with KL Rahul.

Padikkal was, in fact, the highest runs scorer in his maiden Vijay Hazare Trophy season as his tally of 608 runs helped him. Karnataka seal the title. Gaikwad, on the other hand, was the third highest scorer in his debut campaign, scoring 444 runs in seven matches at an average of 63.42.

#2 Average and exercise rate

Devdutt Padikkal has a staggering and mind-boggling average, which is almost equal to his strike rate in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. The Bradmanian average is a simple indicator of his mastery of the one-day format, and the number has seen a massive increase in recent times thanks to his generational journey in the current edition.

Ruturaj Gaikwad also displays exceptional results in the competition over the years, well above the normal List A average and the figures of his peers. Although he falls short of Padikkal’s insurmountable average, he has a better strike rate. In the current campaign, the Maharashtra skipper has a strike rate of 120.65, which is higher than his career strike rate.

Padikkal has also increased when it comes to his scoring rate. Although he now scores almost on a run basis, he had an 81.09 strikeout rate in his freshman campaign.

#3 Fifties and Hundreds

Milestones are an important part of List A cricket as they go a long way in maintaining a place on the selectors’ radar. Given that both of these players are primarily top-order hitters who have passed the 50-over pattern and are more than capable of converting their starts, it’s no surprise that they have more than a hundred than their fifties in the Vijay Hazare Trophy.

Padikkal is currently showing his ability to rack up hundreds in the format having already smashed four centuries in five appearances this season. Gaikwad is not far behind either, as he has the second-most hundreds in the history of the Vijay Hazare Trophy, just behind fellow Maharashtra native Ankit Bawne’s record of 15.