Learned a lot just by watching Virat Kohli, says Krunal Pandya

RCB all-rounder Krunal Pandya shares his experience of playing with Virat Kohli and Surya Kumar Yadav

HYDERABAD: Krunal Pandya in his second season for Royal Challengers Bengaluru, continues to play a pivotal role in TATA IPL 2026 with both bat and ball in his side’s title defence.

Speaking on JioStar’s ‘Superstars’, RCB all-rounder Krunal Pandya says he draws inspiration from Virat Kohli’s intensity and preparation.

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”I have learned a lot just by watching Virat Kohli, the way he prepares for a tournament and the intensity he brings to every practice session. I have played with him for India when he was captain, and I have also played against him,” Krunal said.

“Now, I am lucky to share the same dressing room with him again. What I have realised is that his hunger is still unbelievable. Those eyes don’t lie. The same intensity in every net session, the same hunger to improve. That is what makes him Virat. I believe if he had played in any era, he would still be one of the greatest. And I feel there is still a lot left in Virat to give to the game,” he explained.

On the challenge of bowling to a batter like Suryakumar Yadav, Krunal said: “Suryakumar Yadav is a clean striker of the ball and does not struggle for long periods. When he is at his best, it becomes a nightmare to bowl to him. But I love taking on such challenges. My approach against him is to force him into areas where he feels less comfortable.”

“Everyone knows Surya plays the sweep very well. He is also excellent at hitting inside out over the off side. When a batter is so strong on both sides of the wicket, the margin for error becomes very small. As a bowler, you have to be extremely precise with your pace and variations and I like keeping the ball on a tight fourth-stump line when I bowl to him, not allowing him to use his feet or play the sweep,” he said.

On his dream of playing for India again, the RCB all-rounder said: “Winning the IPL trophy and performing well in the tournament has been a great feeling. But every cricketer has a dream. Since childhood, my dream has always been to represent the country. That hasn’t changed.”

“Playing for India is the biggest blessing, honor, and achievement for me and donning the Blue Jersey once again is dream and it’s still alive. I want to keep doing what I am doing and earn that privilege again. I am keeping my fingers crossed for that,” Krunal said.

On learning from his journey from humble beginnings to stay motivated on the field, Krunal said: ”In the 2017 IPL final, when we were 70 for 7, I was playing for Mumbai Indians. I have a habit of reminding myself where I come from and where I have reached. That reality check keeps me grounded. It also reminds me that every tough situation on the field is nothing compared to the struggles I have already overcome.”

“ And that thought helped me play the knock of 47 runs in 38 balls. It wasn’t a flashy innings, but it was exactly what the team needed at that moment. I absorbed the pressure, rotated the strike, and made sure we didn’t lose any more quick wickets,” he said.

“That knock helped us post a respectable total and eventually win the title. Last year, when I played for RCB in the final, I did the same thing. When I got the ball after the 6th or 7th over, I told myself, ‘From where I have come and where I have reached, this is my moment.’ I keep reminding myself that I have worked very hard to be here. That’s my way of staying in the game and getting the result I want,” Krunal said.