Krunal Pandya and Hardik Pandya are set to be the only brother pair in the IPL 2026 spotlight. Krunal lines up for defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru, while Hardik captains five-time title winners Mumbai Indians. Ahead of the new season, social media chatter suggested there might be a split between the siblings, but no official word ever emerged to confirm any such claim. Notably, Krunal’s response during a rapid-fire segment appeared to put the speculation to rest.
In an interview on Cricbuzz, Krunal faced a quick round of questions and named several familiar names as the best in different categories. When asked about his choices, he pointed to Chris Gayle as the best batter. For leadership, he selected Rohit Sharma and MS Dhoni. In the fielding department, Kieron Pollard was his pick.
He also revealed his preference for away venues, saying the Wankhede Stadium is his best place right now because he has previously played for Mumbai Indians there. For batting craft, Krunal named Virat Kohli for the best cover drive, while in bowling he highlighted Jasprit Bumrah as the top fast-bowling option. For death-overs bowling, he chose Lasith Malinga, and when it came to spin, his list included Sunil Narine and Rashid Khan.
Finishing, too, drew special praise from Krunal. He named Kieron Pollard and Hardik Pandya as the best finishers. Alongside the brother connection, Krunal also stressed that wearing the India jersey remains his biggest ambition, even as he focuses on current responsibilities for his franchise.
Speaking about his priorities, Krunal said that his ultimate target is to represent the country, but he doesn’t obsess over it. Instead, he intends to keep working on what’s in his control—going out, performing well, and helping his side win—trusting that opportunities will eventually come his way.
“The ultimate goal is to represent the country, and I don’t dwell too much on it. I want to keep doing what is in my control, which is to go out there and perform and win games. And in that process, if I get that opportunity, I’ll be really glad because that’s the ultimate goal—playing for the country,” Pandya said.
He added: “And yes, whatever opportunity I got playing for the country in white-ball cricket, I did a pretty decent job at that time. It’s just that I want to do my thing, and the rest I leave to God.”
On the international front, Krunal has played 5 ODIs and 19 T20Is for India. Across the two formats combined, he has made 254 runs, and with the ball he has taken 17 wickets.
