New Delhi, March 23: Making a place in the Indian cricket team and maintaining it for a long time is not feasible for every player. Due to form, fitness issues, or other reasons, many talented players fail to have a long career with Team India. Among these players, all-rounder Krunal Pandya stands out.
The IPL has emerged as a significant platform for capable players like Krunal, offering them opportunities to showcase their talent while earning wealth and fame.
Born on March 24, 1991, in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, Krunal’s childhood was filled with struggles. Along with his brother Hardik Pandya, he faced financial difficulties in the early days of their cricket careers, but he never lost the determination to play for the country and achieve great success in cricket. As a left-handed batsman and left-arm spinner, Krunal made his debut in domestic cricket for Baroda in T20 in 2013, List A in 2014, and first-class cricket in 2016.
His fortunes changed when he joined the Mumbai Indians in 2016, where he remained until 2021. Krunal played a crucial role in the team’s title victories in 2017, 2019, and 2020. Between 2022 and 2024, he was part of the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG).
In 2025, he joined the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and played a pivotal role in securing the team’s first title in his debut season. In IPL 2025, he scored 109 runs and took 17 wickets for RCB.
Having captained LSG, Krunal’s IPL career statistics show that he has played 142 matches, scoring 1,756 runs with two half-centuries. As a lower-order batsman, he often gets limited opportunities to bat. In bowling, this left-arm spinner has taken 93 wickets and is also an excellent fielder with 52 catches to his name.
Krunal made his debut for the Indian team in 2018 and played his last international match on July 25, 2021. During this period, he played 5 ODIs and 19 T20s, scoring 130 runs and taking 2 wickets in ODIs, while in T20s, he scored 126 runs and took 15 wickets in 10 innings.
While there is no clarity on whether Krunal will return to the Indian team, his IPL career is thriving, and RCB will hope he plays a significant role in defending the title in IPL 2026.
Bhupendra Singh Chundawat is a seasoned technology journalist with over 22 years of experience in the media industry. He specializes in covering the global technology landscape, with a deep focus on manufacturing trends and the geopolitical impact on tech companies. Currently serving as the Editor at Udaipur Kiran, his insights are shaped by decades of hands-on reporting and editorial leadership in the fast-evolving world of technology.
