New Delhi: Royal Challengers Bangalore all-rounder Krunal PandyaThe journey to becoming a five-time IPL champion is a story of courage, sacrifice and resilience. Before the IPL title, India caps and recognition, Krunal’s daily routine revolved around paperwork, affidavits and helping people buy second-hand cars for a small commission.Back-to-back IPL titles with RCB and a fifth IPL crown overall, Krunal reflects on the struggles that shaped him long before he found fame and success from cricket. From working as a passport agent with his father Himanshu Pandya to brokering second-hand cars, the left-arm spinner believes the lessons learned away from the cricket field have helped him thrive under pressure.In one Exclusive interaction with Times of IndiaKrunal explained why difficult situations brought out the best in him and how his upbringing shaped his approach to cricket and life.“I actually look forward and long for those situations where it’s tough. I don’t know, I guess the way I play cricket is actually what I’ve learned in my life. So, it’s a lot to do with how, at a very young age, my… I’ll go back to my growing up days. When I was 11-12 years old, I used to work with my dad, I was an advertiser with my dad. I used to go with my dad at a very young age. Experienced life and then I realized how difficult life is and so were my parents.His late father’s influence is central to Krunel’s outlook on life and cricket. Having witnessed the realities of life at a young age, he says these experiences taught him to never back down from a challenge and helped him embrace stressful situations instead of dreading them.“Then I used to be a car broker at one time. So, I saw life very closely at a very young age. So I guess that’s how I play when I play sports. I don’t give up. And when the going gets tough, I’m like, ‘I’ve got to win it’. I’ve always realized one thing. Because you’ve played one way your life, because you play the only way you’ve lived your life. Mind, it’s not like in cricket you play life. So another mind and another mind will be used.“
Long before lifting IPL trophies with Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Krunal spent his days helping people complete paperwork, arrange documents and navigate government processes. He also worked as a car broker, earning a small commission on the sale of second-hand vehicles.Asked about the most spectacular car sold in his days as a broker, Karnal laughed and recalled the humbling reality of those years.“We used to sell second-hand cars, it used to be Rs 3-4 lakh, you got Rs 3000 commission, agent fee, I was the passport agent myself, filled the forms, did the affidavit, I did the paperwork, everyone’s ration card, light bill, then two ID proofs, getting the school leaving certificate, getting the form, getting the online form, filling Xox, filling the form. Affidavit done, for name correction by paper cutting. Visited Times of India office. Yes, I’ve done a lot.”Krunal, one of the most successful players in the IPL, with five titles to his name, played a key role in RCB’s successful title defense in IPL 2026. In 16 matches, he scored 226 runs at a strike rate of 145.80 and also took 14 wickets.
