Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s (RCB) spin department faced scrutiny heading into the IPL season. Having opted for a seemingly conservative approach in the auction, they placed significant responsibility on Krunal Pandya, a utility all-rounder whose IPL wicket tally had never surpassed 12 in a single season across nine campaigns. Andy Flower’s pre-season praise of Krunal’s “streetwise,” “smart,” and “courageous” nature felt like a bold gamble.
The initial signs were concerning. Krunal’s first IPL 2025 delivery was launched 89 meters into the stands by Sunil Narine, followed by consecutive boundaries to Ajinkya Rahane, a batter who historically held an advantage against him. Yet, Krunal displayed remarkable resilience, finishing with impressive figures of 3 for 29, a testament to both his character and RCB’s spin strategy.
While Krunal isn’t known for prolific wicket-taking, his ability to restrict runs is undeniable. His career economy rate, never exceeding 7.98 runs per over, is a valuable asset in the high-scoring IPL. This defensive prowess proved crucial in stabilizing RCB’s innings after Kolkata Knight Riders’ (KKR) explosive start.
Krunal’s key breakthroughs began with Rahane, who was dominating the innings with a rapid fifty. A well-executed dismissal, utilizing a calculated length and line with a deep backward square in place, halted Rahane’s momentum. A clever bouncer followed, unsettling Venkatesh Iyer, who then edged the subsequent delivery onto his stumps. Krunal’s next victim was Rinku Singh, dismissed with a skiddy, straight delivery.
His strategy was simple yet effective: maintain an in-between length, bowl straight, and vary pace. This uncomplicated approach yielded significant results.
A striking statistic highlights Krunal’s effectiveness: over a quarter of his IPL wickets are either bowled or lbw, a significant proportion for a spinner. Furthermore, 18 of his 24 legal deliveries, primarily bowled at an in-between length, accounted for all three wickets, conceding just 18 runs.
Pace variation was another key element of Krunal’s success. He initially bowled at a relatively high pace, around 101 kph, but adjusted after conceding runs. His subsequent overs averaged 97 kph, with his wicket-taking deliveries being the fastest of each over, indicating a calculated use of pace.
“When you play in front of such a big crowd, you have to narrow down your focus,” Krunal explained post-match. “That’s what I did when I came back in the second over. I narrowed down the focus on where I wanted to bowl. If you get hit, you should only get hit on a good ball. You have to go with the flow. How cricket is evolving, skillsets of batters are evolving, they have the ability to hit good shots consistently, so you’ve got to make sure you up your game. One of the reasons for bowling quick was I wanted to give less time [to batters]. Change of pace is something you associate with me also. If you have something in your armoury to use to your advantage, why not.”
This pragmatic, repeatable approach proved effective on a sticky Eden Gardens pitch, which, despite being historically flat, offered sufficient grip.
While it’s premature to declare RCB’s spin woes solved, Krunal’s performance was a significant step forward. The upcoming challenges at the Chinnaswamy Stadium will present a different test, but for now, Krunal Pandya’s redemption arc has provided RCB with a much-needed boost, transforming early skepticism into a memorable spell.
