BENGALURU: Around 15 years ago, on the mat of wickets in Pelage, a small town in Gujarat’s Bharuch district, a vulnerable youth learned the value of adaptability. Bowling with coated balls in local village tournaments, he soon realized that there would be little support for spin and that survival depended on discipline, control and innovation. He describes the early lessons of constantly reinventing yourself. Krunal Pandya Even today, as he is on his 11th. Indian Premier League the weatherThe elder of the Pandya brothers, Krunal, who has represented India in five ODIs and 19 T20Is, has emerged as a key figure in defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s spin attack over the past two seasons. Krunel’s impressive spell of 2/17 in last year’s final earned him the Player of the Match award and highlighted his importance in pressure situations.
As RCB push to defend their crown, the 35-year-old left-arm spinner is also quietly fueling India’s comeback hopes, having last donned the national colors in July 2021.Years of hard work on and off the field along with the highs and lows of professional cricket have made Krunal more reflective and grounded. Now one of the most experienced all-rounders in the league, he is driven by a desire to grow and contribute.In an exclusive interview with TOI, Krunal – who has played 152 IPL Matches since making his debut for Mumbai Indians In 2016 – talked about longevity, reinventing his bowling and his sustainable India ambitions.Quotes:This is your 11th year in IPL. How do you see your evolution as a player?Evolution feels very rewarding and honestly, when you start playing at a high level, you want to play as long as you can. For me, what I pride myself on is longevity. I’m in my 11th season, and it’s a sign that I keep getting better. As an athlete, I have always focused on trying to be the best version of myself.Over the years, much has been learned. I have seen extreme days in the last 10 years. It has made me more humble and more grateful for the sport and life as well. The goal is to keep doing what I do, which is to get better and win games for my team.Is that where your desire to reinvent yourself comes from?Yes, reinventing yourself is part of the process. The good thing about me is that I don’t shy away from trying new things. If I believe something can work for me and give me an extra edge in the game, I always give it a shot.But it’s never about trying something flashy or doing something just to look cool. There is always a lot of logic and thought behind changes, implementation and results.I haven’t suddenly started throwing bouncers or slingers overnight. It has a lot of practice behind it.
Krunal Pandya (BCCI Photo)
Between your commitment to RCB and Baroda, where does your passion for India stand?It’s right there, at the top of the table. There is nothing greater than playing for the country. The thought process of representing India never changes.Every chance I got to represent India, I did well. I’m a firm believer in focusing on what’s in your hand, which is playing your game at its best.What specific mechanical shift helped you go from a front leg drop to a strong vertical brace?This is fitness. Sometimes, we don’t highlight enough the work that goes on behind the scenes. At the end of the day, it’s important to acknowledge what’s been done.For me, the fitter you are, the more things you can adapt to. Sometimes as a cricketer or even as a person, you know what you want to improve on, but your body may not allow it because you are not fit enough to adapt to new things.Striving to be the fittest version of myself has helped me develop new things in my game.Has your new release height helped you generate more bounce and zip up the surface?Yes, obviously, I have worked a lot on my bowling. When I now bowl left-handed spin, I am longer in my action than before. I shortened my stride to get more bounce because in IPL, you hardly get spin off the wicket.So the question becomes: How do you fool batsmen? I’ve worked on my action to get that extra bounce by staying tall. I have realized that the best cricket I have played in my career has come when I have followed my instincts.Can you elaborate on making the short ball a wicket-taking option?People have put a lot of emphasis on the short ball I bowled. In the last couple of years, I saw some stats where I threw more bouncers, which is weird.But I don’t focus on any one particular delivery. My focus is just to stay one step ahead of the batsman.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s Colonel Pandya is bowling. (ANI Photo)
Given the limited batting opportunities you’ve had over the past few years, how have you dealt with it?In the last 3-4 years, I didn’t get many opportunities to bat in the IPL. That said, the thought process remains the same. How can I improve? How can I improve? As a batting unit over the last two years, we have done incredibly well, so I have no complaints about not batting. But yes, whenever there is an opportunity, I will give my 100%.More than 1800 runs and more than 100 wickets in IPL, how satisfying is it in his journey? To sum it up in one word, thank you. And for me, the icing on the cake is the four trophies (three with Mumbai Indians) that I have had the opportunity to lift. You are not one to shy away from challenges. Does it come naturally to you?Yes, I learned this from my parents. They never back down from anything. The strength to keep fighting and never give up comes naturally to me because of them.
