Former Indian opener Kris Srikkanth has lavished praise on Krunal Pandya after Royal Challengers Bengaluru secured a comprehensive 92-run win against Gujarat Titans at Dharamshala on Tuesday in the first qualifier of IPL 2026.
Pandya continued his rich form, scoring 43 runs off 28 balls. He added a crucial alliance of 95 runs off 45 balls with skipper Rajat Patidar after RCB lost two quick wickets of Virat Kohli and Devdutt Padikkal.
Furthermore, the left-arm orthodox spinner returned with impressive figures of 2-16 in 3.3 overs he bowled. Pandya accounted for Kagiso Rabada and Mohammed Siraj.
Srikkanth said Krunal Pandya is miles ahead of Axar Patel, and the former should return to India’s T20I team. The former Indian skipper said that, along with Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, and Rajat Patidar, also deserve to be in India’s T20I team.
Kris Srikkanth said on his YouTube Channel, “Krunal Pandya is the real catalyst for RCB with his all-around abilities. He deserves the Indian cap again. He played long back, but they dropped him. This is the right time to give him a chance again. He is suddenly miles ahead of Axar Patel in the T20 format. If you take the last two IPLs, he’s miles ahead. So Krunal, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, and Patidar deserve a look in the Indian T20I side.”
Srikkanth praised Devdutt Padikkal and Virat Kohli for their crucial alliance of 72 runs and then hailed Krunal Pandya and Rajat Patidar for adding 95 runs.
He added, “The Kohli-Padikkal partnership was the key once again. Along with Patidar, Krunal Pandya also played a brilliant knock. From Kohli to everyone, they have decided to hammer the bowling come what may. The RCB batters are demolishing the bowling in such a way that the bowling side and the bowling captain don’t know what to do.”
The former Indian skipper added that the team that reaches the IPL final will be scared of RCB.
“RCB literally stamped on GT this match, demolishing them. Now, whoever comes to the final will be terrorized by the thought of facing RCB,” said Srikkanth (via the aforementioned source).
The 1983 World Cup-winning player also urged RCB to reduce Romario Shepherd’s role with the ball. Shepherd bowled a solitary over, conceding 15 runs against GT.
“They also did a smart thing by bowling Duffy instead of Romario Shepherd. Even in the final, don’t give Romario the ball, the final will be gone for RCB then. Their team is so strong that they don’t need Romario Shepherd at all.”
RCB will play the IPL final on Sunday in Ahmedabad.
