Krunal Pandya is a thinking cricketer, says Gavaskar

“When he bowls, he actually reminds me of how Vinoo Mankad used to be. Mankad wasn’t a huge turner of the ball, but he had subtle variations — line and length, changes of pace, occasional bounce and even a high full toss kind of beamer,” Gavaskar said on Kuhl Fans Match Centre Live on JioHotstar.

Hyderabad: “I’ve always admired him (Krunal Pandya of Royal Challengers Bengaluru) for the sharpness with which he plays his cricket and in his thinking. He makes up with his temperament for any minor deficiencies he might have — and frankly, he doesn’t have too many,” says legendary Sunil Gavaskar after Krunal played a key role in the team’s win against Mumbai Indians in the IPL league match on Monday night.

“When he bowls, he actually reminds me of how Vinoo Mankad used to be. Mankad wasn’t a huge turner of the ball, but he had subtle variations — line and length, changes of pace, occasional bounce and even a high full toss kind of beamer,” Gavaskar said on Kuhl Fans Match Centre Live on JioHotstar.

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“Rajat Patidar (RCB captain) certainly seems liberated as the leader, and he knows he’s got a solid group around him. He has seniors who are always willing to lend a hand, and a strong support staff. Someone like Dinesh Karthik — people don’t talk enough about his influence,” Gavaskar said.

“Seventeen years without a title, and now RCB understands what needs to be done to win. With a relaxed, laid-back captain, others are also stepping up with their experience to help move the team forward,” the former India opener said.

On Virat Kohli’s batting, Gavaskar said the big difference over the last season and a half had been his intent to play lofted shots much earlier.

“The first and foremost thing was seeing Jasprit Bumrah come in steaming and bowling at his usual pace — over 140 km/h. I believe that with a few more games under his belt, he’ll likely hit 150 km/hr as he gains more confidence in his back and feels secure enough to bowl at full tilt,” Gavaskar said.

On Rohit Sharma, Gavaskar said even if he doesn’t get a big score immediately, if he can bat through the power-play into the 8th or 9th over and score a steady 30–40, that will help build confidence.

“I believe his shot selection needs a bit of tempering. If he finds that balance, he’ll be back to scoring big runs again,” Gavaskar said.