What stomach illness caused cricketer Devdutt Padikkal to lose 10 kg?

Cricketer Devdutt Padikkal broke into the national scene as an explosive top-order batter in 2021 with an array of shots that carved his path to the national side. A year before that he won the Emerging Player Award for his explosives. With the numbers to back up his batting prowess this Karnataka player, born at Edappal in Kerala, was set for bigger innings in the sport.

However, COVID-19 infection and an unusual weight loss put a brake on his fledgling career. A series of tests later, doctors found that the classy southpaw had an acute intestinal issue. Padikkal noticed the unusual weight loss of up to 10 kg in 2022. He was struggling to retain his energy levels through a match (which depending on the format could range from 3 to 7 hours daily) and falling sick daily. 

Though he sidelined the illness initially, when the symptoms persisted, he went to the hospital before the domestic season started.That's when Padikkal found that he had an acute intestinal issue, which worsened with time. The youngster was in and out of hospital for two months and also opted out of a couple of tournaments.

Intestinal diseases and weight loss
Though Padikkal has not revealed details on the exact intestinal condition that affected his health, there are some diseases that you can test for, if you experience similar symptoms. Crohn's disease, for instance, is a bowel disease that causes inflammation of the lining of the digestive tract. It can result in abdominal pain, severe diarrhoea, fatigue, and weight loss. Then there are Celiac disease, lambliasis, common variable immunodeficiency, also called CVID, and Whipple's disease which can cripple your life in various ways. You should consult a gastroenterologist to check your digestive health and detect complications if any.
(With inputs from PTI)