The Indian Premier League remains T20 cricket’s toughest proving ground, and each new season raises the bar. With fresh talent arriving and established stars forced to keep upgrading, the tournament has steadily turned into a relentless slog-fest—helped by flatter surfaces and the Impact Player rule, which adds even more depth to batting plans. That environment leaves bowlers with less room for error and makes execution of plans far more difficult than it looks on paper.
Even players with long IPL resumes are now leaning more on adaptability and intent than on rigid, pre-set bowling scripts. Krunal Pandya, the 35-year-old Royal Challengers Bengaluru spinner, is a clear example of that evolution. This season, he has shown resilience by expanding his options with bouncers—despite being a left-arm bowler who traditionally relies on a different skill set.
Quick facts
- Krunal Pandya (Royal Challengers Bengaluru) has bowled the most bouncers among all IPL bowlers so far in the 2026 season.
- In IPL 2025, Krunal played a key role for RCB and finished the season with 17 wickets.
- He produced a Player of the Match spell versus Punjab Kings, recording figures of 2/17 in the final.
- RCB won an 18-run game against Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium in a pivotal match, with Krunal taking 1/26 in his four overs.
- That win came while Mumbai Indians, led by Hardik Pandya, were chasing 241.
The story of Krunal’s impact goes beyond this year’s adjustments. In IPL 2025, he was central to RCB’s campaign, ending the tournament with a haul of 17 wickets. One of his standout contributions arrived in a Player of the Match display against Punjab Kings, where he returned 2/17 in a tense final.
RCB then backed that momentum into a championship-winning run, and while Krunal’s game continues to evolve in subtle ways—along with the ongoing change in his public image—his focus remains on staying effective in a format that punishes hesitation. In a league where margins are thin, the mindset to keep contributing matters as much as the technique itself.
Speaking on his approach, Krunal explained that his preparation is less about fixed patterns and more about staying one step ahead in both skill and mental battle. He said the variation he brings is a direct result of that mindset—whether it’s working a delivery by bending his knee, or using a bouncer to change the rhythm. He also expressed hope that finger spinners can still survive on flat tracks and extract something meaningful from conditions.
He added that for a finger spinner on roads that don’t offer much grip, the challenge becomes even tougher with eight batters facing the ball and the pressure for quick scoring. Against that backdrop, Krunal framed his own contribution as an effort to remain relevant and provide value in a style of bowling that can struggle unless it keeps adapting.
The competitive edge
Krunal’s latest push arrived at a critical moment for RCB. His figures of 1/26 from four overs helped his side seal an 18-run victory against Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium. Mumbai were led by Hardik Pandya, and the match swung on the pressure created at key stages—especially given the size of the target.
With Mumbai chasing a massive 241, Krunal backed his changes with an aggressive bouncer that caught Hardik by surprise on the last ball of the ninth over. That moment underlined the instinctive advantage behind his evolution: he isn’t just changing pace or length, he’s actively disrupting timing when it matters most.
On how he decides when to throw the bouncer, Krunal said he relies heavily on instinct rather than scripting his over. He described it as a gut call—some days he might bowl two bouncers in a row, while on others he could choose to go with the first delivery or the sixth delivery instead. The common thread, though, is that once the decision is made, he commits fully to it.
He also clarified that he doesn’t treat bouncer work as a specialised practice routine where he goes out solely to rehearse that specific plan. Instead, the bouncers come to life in real match situations, built on consistent bowling over a long period. His success, despite the unconventional feel of his method, reinforces a simple IPL truth: belief in your own ability can be the difference between merely surviving and actually thriving in a batter-dominated league.
