Krunal Pandya says pressure motivates him as RCB defend IPL title
Krunal Pandya said pressure situations bring out the best in him as Royal Challengers Bengaluru defend their IPL title. The all-rounder also spoke about evolving bowling tactics, handling dangerous batters and preparing mentally for high-pressure contests.
Hyderabad: Krunal Pandya says it (Royal Challengers Bengaluru) is a very good place to be, knowing that we are defending champions.“Pressure is always there when you play at the highest level, regardless of whether you are defending champions or not. I always believe that as an athlete, I try to prepare myself for tough situations. Whenever there is extra pressure or a need to perform, that gets me going as an individual. So yes, there is pressure, but at the end of the day, nothing really changes,” Krunal said on JioStar’s’ Superstars’ show.
“It’s just a game. You must approach it the same way, whether you are defending champions or not. Having played almost a decade at this level, I have some experience to share with my teammates as a senior player. At the end of the day, it’s about keeping things simple, no matter what the situation is,” he explained. On how he started bowling bouncers and yorkers to stay one step ahead of modern batters, Krunal said: “If you follow the IPL closely over the last 10 years, the striking ability of batters has changed drastically. Today, the power-hitting is constantly evolving. The new-age batters coming in have an insane ability to clear the ropes with ease. So as a bowler, I have realised that you have to add variety to your bowling arsenal. You must stay one step ahead of the batter.”
“That is how bowling bouncers and yorkers came into the process. It was not that I suddenly woke up one day and started bowling bouncers as a spinner. It was a very well thought out plan, understanding what a bouncer does psychologically to a batter. Being a batter myself helps me think like a batter. I always try to stay one step ahead of the batter in terms of thought process and then focus on how to
execute my skill,” he said.
On how life and preparation shape his performance in tough matches, Krunal said: “A lot depends on how you have lived your life. Most of us come from humble backgrounds. Sometimes life teaches you more than anything else. I am no different. But over time, I have always prepared myself for the toughest situations. Every cricketer wants to do well and be the hero when he steps on the field.”
“I feel that when the stakes are high, when things are not going your way, or it is a do-or-die situation, that brings out something special in me. A lot of that comes from how I prepare. I tell myself that if I
am working hard, it’s not for an easy game. Every game is tough. But I want to prepare for a situation where everything is stacked against me and then see how I can still perform,” he said.
On how he plans his deliveries against quality players like Heinrich Klaasen and Shreyas Iyer, Krunal said: “My approach depends on the situation. Sometimes I need to attack, other times I need to choke the runs. My main thought is always about bowling the best possible delivery for that moment.”
“Heinrich Klaasen loves taking on spinners. Against batters like him, the better balls you bowl, the more dot balls you create, and the higher your chances of forcing a mistake. You can’t just keep
attacking mindlessly. Sometimes, when a dangerous batter is at the crease, you have to go for the wicket and take a risk. It all depends on the game situation,” he said.
“Shreyas Iyer is also a very good player of spin. Against quality batters like him, where the margin for error is small, my thinking is always the same: how can I make them hit to their weaker areas? For
example, if a batter scores easily over covers, how can I force him to hit over mid-wicket? If he likes to slog sweep, how can I make him hit over long off? That has been my game plan against most batters,
including Shreyas,”Krunal explained.
On how he handles bowling on small grounds like Chinnaswamy, Krunal said: “On grounds like Wankhede or Chinnaswamy, especially Chinnaswamy, the boundaries are small. So, I tell myself that if I
bowl a bad ball, it will go for a six, whether it is 80 meters or 50 or 60 meters. Sometimes that creates a negative thought when the boundary is small. So, I take the boundary size out of my mind. I know
that if I bowl a good ball, the batter won’t be able to hit it even 30 yards. So, I think that way: if I bowl my best ball, they won’t be able to hit me even on a small ground.”
