Krunal Pandya was virtually an unknown name, in the cricketing world when he was bought for 2 crores by us with even a single first-class game under his kitty. He had played just four List A matches and had 27 T20 games to his name. The only reference that people were able to find, was the other Pandya who was making waves on the international stage. So just after the IPL auction, he was asked which of the Pandya brothers is more talented, to which he said, “We both are talented, let this next IPL finish; you will yourself decide that indeed we both are talented.”

Krunal Pandya’s younger brother Hardik Pandya, shot to fame last season when he played a crucial knock against Kolkata Knight Riders and went on to represent the Indian team from there on. The journey was not that easy for the elder brother as he was ruled out of the Syed Ali Mushtaq tournament with a shoulder injury. It was tough for him as he couldn’t play cricket for almost a year. He came into this IPL riding on the triple hundred he scored in a Zaveri league match.

Krunal Pandya made his debut for us in our third game of IPL 2016. After a string of good performances, Krunal was promoted up the order. In a crunch match against Delhi, he came in at no. 3 and scored a whirlwind 86 off 37 balls to keep us in the hunt for the playoff spot.

“Before the game I told Hardik that I will score a lot of runs in this game, and he said, ‘Yes bro, you will do it.’ After scoring the fifty I gestured towards him, telling him that I did it,” says Krunal.

Hardik and Krunal Pandya became the first brothers to share the dressing room in IPL. Their bond has only grown stronger over the years playing together. Unfortunately, Hardik was not able to replicate his form from IPL 8 and had to make way for other in-form players, but Krunal believes that Hardik will bounce back in style. “These things happen. This is cricket and every cricketer goes through a tough phases. Hardik will come back stronger, I have full faith in him,” says an optimistic Krunal.

(To be continued…)

Quotes are taken from First Post.