Padikkal on bumper VHT season: 'If you have the ability to adapt, you can score in every game'

When you start batting in different positions, you learn a lot more about your own game. I feel in cricket, it's important to understand your game inside out; that's when you can get the best out of yourself. Batting in different positions has helped me understand which areas I need to target in different phases of the game, and it has helped me build my innings much better over the years.

It's easy to go out and play the same way every single match but not get those big scores. It was important that I adapted and found consistency in doing it. When you're getting runs, it's easy to believe there's only one way of playing the game. That's often where you end up losing form after a point. If you want to score big runs and be consistent, it's important to understand the game and adapt as quickly as possible. If you have the ability to adapt, you can score in every game. I feel that's what players who do well consistently are able to do.

Honestly, not so much in terms of technique or work on the cricket field. It's more mental, like being hungry for runs, really switching on and wanting to score big. What usually happens is that you get runs in a couple of games and feel you've done enough, that you've achieved what you wanted to. For me, it was important to want to score every time I went out there. Having that mindset and mentality has helped me score in every single game. With the packed scheduling we have, it's easy to feel fatigued and not be at 100% in back-to-back games. I wanted to make sure that whenever I was out there, I was physically and mentally ready and hungry for more runs.

I've been consistent in terms of what I do on my off days. I have my strength sessions in place, I get my running done, and do some work with the physio whenever possible. At the end of the day, when you go out onto the field, it's about how badly you want it. And if you want it badly enough, you will succeed. That's how I go about it.

I'd say the one against Jharkhand. When you concede 413, it's daunting to walk out and chase. You know the target in your mind, but getting the start required for a chase of that magnitude is never easy. To be able to do that in that kind of situation, especially against a team that had just come back from winning the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, made it one of my best innings.

Our plan was clear. We wanted to maximise the powerplay, and once we got through that phase, the idea was to maintain a run rate of eight to nine an over. We tried to maintain that for as long as possible. Towards the end, with wickets still in hand, we knew we could go at ten an over in the last ten overs. It was about planning and getting the calculations right, knowing which bowler to target and against whom to be more circumspect so that we had wickets in hand at the end. As a batting unit, we went into that chase with absolute clarity.

Of course, at the end of the day, you play cricket to represent India. When selections happen and those teams are picked, you always want to be a part of it. At the same time, I really enjoy playing for Karnataka. We have a clear goal as a team, which is to win the tournament. When you have that kind of objective and vision, these things become part of the journey. I understand that now is probably not my time, but my time will come soon.

It was more about being tactically aware of what the opposition was trying to do. That was the biggest change I had to make. In previous years, I was stubborn about wanting to bat in a certain way, without being adaptable or flexible enough to adjust to what the opposition was doing. Once I started [changing that] this season, I was able to stay one step ahead of the bowler. When you're able to do that, you naturally tend to score quicker. That was the main aspect of my game I worked on ahead of the season.

Dinesh Karthik and Andy Flower are a very good mix in terms of giving you exactly what you need. DK, having played T20 cricket until very recently, understands the game far better than most. That insight from someone who has played in the modern game and done it successfully helps a lot when you're going out to bat. He gives you clear points and tactics, things he felt worked for him when he was playing, and that had a huge impact on how I wanted to approach my batting.

Andy, on the other hand, understands what needs to be said to players and when. The confidence he gave me through his words, the way he backed me, and the clarity in how he wanted me to play gave me a very clear direction in terms of how I wanted to go about my game.

That's just how things fall sometimes. The fact that I was able to come back to RCB itself was something I had hoped for. I didn't know if it would happen, but when it did, it made me really happy. You have to take the lows with the highs, and I was at peace with it, understanding that these things happen. I was still hoping we could lift the trophy, and I'm really happy to have been part of the team that won RCB's first IPL.

Karnataka cricket is going through a transition from the previous generation, so it's a challenging phase. At the same time, Karnataka has always been set up with experienced players who understand what it means to play for the team. When you have those characters around, the younger guys learn and develop their game. It was the same when I came in - I had seniors around me. I hope that now we're able to set an example for those coming through as well. At the end of the day, it's about winning trophies. The Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy was disappointing [Karnataka failed to qualify for the Super League], but it has motivated us to do better.

The only thing that makes me a senior now is that I started young. It feels like I'm older, but at the same time, it's a responsibility that I enjoy. I like that I'm able to contribute to someone else's career, and if I can do that in any way, I'm more than happy to do it.

It's great to be part of the India side in any format. Test cricket is my ultimate goal. It was special to be part of the team for a while, but at the same time, there's a lot more we need to achieve as a Test team in India. Hopefully, we youngsters continue to improve, and the next time a Test series comes around, we're in a position to win.