‘Optimistic’ Krunal Pandya Aims To Make A Comeback In Team India

Oct 18, 2020 at 6:07 PM

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‘Optimistic’ Krunal Pandya Aims To Make A Comeback In Team India

Krunal Pandya celebrated in style with fist pump and roar after hitting boundaries one after other while batting against SunRisers Hyderabad where he scored an unbeaten 20 off only 4 balls including 2 fours and as many sixes.

Mumbai Indians all-rounder and senior of Pandya brothers, Krunal Pandya bats low down the order but contributes with both bat and ball when the team needs him to fire.  His younger brother Hardik Pandya who too plays for MI is a force to reckon with in the Indian team but isn’t bowling in IPL 2020 due to back injury.

Hardik Pandya, Krunal Pandya
Hardik Pandya, Krunal Pandya. Photo by: Sandeep Shetty /SPORTZPICS for BCCI

Krunal Pandya Wanted To Make Most Of The 4 Balls He Faced Against SRH

While Hardik Pandya is a pacer all-rounder, Krunal Pandya is a spinner all-rounder. Krunal Pandya has picked 5 wickets and scored 48 runs so far. Although he hasn’t picked up too many wickets averaging over 40 with a ball, he gave away runs at less than 8 runs per over which is creditable.

“No no it wasn’t for anyone, that’s how I get going actually. In some of the games, I just feel like going for that extra, not like I wanted to show anyone, it’s just that I wanted to make most of those four balls. I hadn’t batted before that (In this IPL) so I was very pumped up,” Krunal told Hindustan Times during a media interaction on Sunday.

Krunal Pandya Celebrating
Krunal Pandya. Photo Credit: BCCI/IPL.

He also celebrated similarly while bowling to the likes of David Warner and Andre Russell.

“It’s not about wickets only. Sometimes if you bowl 2 overs for 12 runs in T20s, that is gold,” Krunal said.

Krunal Pandya never thought of scoring big runs but instead focuses on impactful performances which can change the momentum of the game.

“T20 is all about impactful performances. If you bowl 1 good over or bat six balls well then you can change the momentum of the game,” said Krunal.

“It wasn’t that I wasn’t bowling well. I bowled the 18th and 19th overs, so those overs are challenging and I like those challenges.

“Yeah, I am playing this role for the last four-five overs. This year also I am happy with the way I have been going about with my batting and bowling it is a thankless job, but I love those tough situations and I wait for those as a player,” he said.

Krunal Pandya has so far scored 939 runs in 63 matches where he also picked 45 wickets averaging 29.57 whereas his batting average is 26.08. His best bowling figure is 2/26 against Delhi Capitals in IPL 2020. His highest score is 86, and it is his only half-century in IPL.

Krunal Pandya Hopes To Make Comeback For India After Impactful Performances In Indian Premier League 2020

Krunal Pandya sounded optimistic that these small yet significant performances in IPL 2020 will open the doors of the Indian side once again.

“I want to make a comeback to the Indian side I’ve played 18 games in about a year. And I did quite well. I got MoM in New Zealand, in Australia and got the Man of the Series against West Indies. In batting also, I was quite happy with whatever I had done while playing for India. The way the season is going, I’m looking forward to making a comeback,” he added.

Krunal Pandya
Krunal Pandya. Photo Credit: Twitter.

Krunal Pandya has played 18 T20Is where he picked 14 wickets averaging 38.42 and scored 121 runs averaging 24.2. He debuted against West Indies in 2018 and played his last T20I against Bangladesh in 2019. He has picked up 1 four-wicket haul in T20I as his career-best bowling figure is 4/36.

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