Krunal Pandya's elevation from a Mumbai franchise player to India's national team took some time. It was perhaps way too late considering how his brother, Hardik Pandya had established himself in the side by then. But once he arrived, Krunal has quickly showcased why he is such a beast in the shortest format of the game.
Since making a debut against the West Indies in Kolkata last year, he has figured in every single game that India have played in the format. Krunal picked up just a single wicket going at an impressive economy of under four and made 21* in his debut for India.
In Australia, just when it seemed like Krunal was struggling for form, he returned with a career-best four for 36 at Sydney and was the pick of the bowlers. A three-wicket haul against the Kiwis at Auckland and crucial contributions with the bat proved that he was here to stay.
Even in the recent T20Is against the Windies in the USA, Krunal played mini cameos with the bat while producing consistent displays with the ball.
That his emergence has come at a time India have a slew of left-arm spinning all-rounders shows why he stands out from the pack. Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel, aside from Jalaj Saxena and Shahbaz Nadeem, have had impactful performances at the domestic level. But Krunal has stood out with his flexibility in the Mumbai-based franchise in the Indian T20 league.
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If he has been consistent with the ball in terms of hitting the same spot and returning with big wickets, the value compounds with his batting utility. From coming in at No. 3 to displaying composure in the death, Krunal has done it all.
In the finals of the 2017 Indian T20 League against Pune, Mumbai-based Krunal walked in at No. 4 and slammed 47 in 38 balls, top-scoring for the team and giving the innings some much-needed momentum. He then took the new ball for the side and bowled a miserly spell.
In the entire season, Krunal made 243 runs at an average of 34.7. His strike rate always hovers around the 140-mark, despite batting at different positions and in different situations. With the ball, Krunal has 40 wickets in the Indian T20 league, coming at an economy just over seven and an average of 28.2.
More than the sheer weight of numbers, it is his flexibility that deserves praise. He could come in at No. 4 and play a game-changing innings or walk in at No. 7 and finish off a run chase. With the ball, he could open the attack or play the holding role. Much like Shakib Al Hasan for Bangladesh, Krunal has established himself in the T20I side with his flexibility and utility value.
Add in his dynamic fielding and bundle of energy and Krunal becomes an invaluable proposition. Virat Kohli is quick realising why the all-rounder has turned into a go-to man for Rohit Sharma at Mumbai.
Interestingly, Krunal's better T20 bowling performances at an international level have come under Kohli rather than Rohit. He averages 27.22 with the ball under Kohli and 39.4 under Rohit. With the bat, though, Rohit has utilised him better and in six games under his Mumbai skipper, Krunal has averaged a whopping 67, striking at a rate of 167.5. Under Kohli, his batting has gone down a bit. But possibly, Kohli could take a cue from how Rohit has used him at Mumbai to get the best out of a valuable resource.
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Featured image courtesy: AFP / Michael Bradley
