When the debate over Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s return to the Indian team gathered momentum, it sparked a familiar conversation among fans: which other experienced stars deserve another shot at the national colours?
Mohammed Shami was among the names that came up repeatedly. After putting in the hard yards on the domestic circuit, the veteran pacer has made a compelling case for consideration. But his international future rests with India’s new selection committee, which will have to decide whether he fits into its plans.
Recent selections suggest that the selectors are not afraid to make bold calls. Ishan Kishan and Shreyas Iyer returned to the domestic fold and continued to make their presence felt in the IPL, earning their way back into India’s plans. Shreyas is now leading a side being built towards the defence of its T20 World Cup title in 2028. Bhuvneshwar’s return, meanwhile, showed that experience still counts and age need not be a barrier.
That brings another name into the conversation: Krunal Pandya.
The Royal Challengers Bengaluru all-rounder has quietly built a strong case for himself in the IPL. Even Sunil Gavaskar has backed the idea of picking players on merit rather than letting age dictate selection, describing Krunal as one of the smartest cricketers in India at the moment.
“He’s an outstanding cricketer and I do believe that if you want to win the World Cups, you just go with the guys who you think will win the World Cup.”
“Don’t look at their age. That’s not the point. If they’re playing in the IPL, they’re fit. If they’re playing, domestic cricket, they are fit and if they’ve performed in that, you pick them in the India team. That’s how you should go about it,” said Gavaskar.
The question, then, is whether Krunal can turn his IPL performances into an India comeback. To assess his chances, we spoke to former India spinner Murali Kartik, who believes the 35-year-old should not be ruled out simply because of his age.
WHY NOT KRUNAL?
Krunal’s numbers offer a strong starting point for his case. Across 158 IPL matches, he has taken 107 wickets at an economy rate of 7.57. But his recent performances suggest there is more to his game than those career figures alone.
After a few decent seasons with Lucknow Super Giants, Krunal took on a bigger responsibility at RCB: leading the spin attack. He responded with 31 wickets in 31 matches across the last two seasons, showcasing an ability to adapt his bowling to the demands of the format.
His evolution has been particularly interesting. Krunal has mixed in quicker bouncers to unsettle batters with slower, flatter deliveries designed to deny them room and disrupt their rhythm. It is an approach built around variation, control and the ability to stay one step ahead of the batter.
That tactical flexibility helped him deliver an economy rate of 8.41 across the last two IPL seasons, according to the figures cited for this story. It was better than the corresponding figures for established spinners such as Varun Chakravarthy, Rashid Khan and Kuldeep Yadav.
For Kartik, the bigger point is that Krunal’s age should not overshadow what he is delivering in the present.
“I’m pretty sure Krunal Pandhya, and for that matter, I have never been a believer of age at all. If someone’s playing and someone’s playing well, that’s all that matters,” said Karthik during a virtual interaction arraenged by Sony Sports Network.
“Sometimes we end up making the mistake of looking too far ahead, forgetting the present. Even our scriptures stay in the present, but some of us seem to go too far ahead.”
“Our scriptures say stay in the present. So it is sometimes funny for me, but having said that, age is not a number. As and when, if Krunal Pandya is needed, he should be in the mix. Why not? He’s been doing well. He was your player of the match last year when RCB won, and more importantly,” said Kartik.
Krunal’s value, however, extends beyond the wickets column. His ability to control the scoring rate and build pressure can be just as important in a format where batters are constantly looking to attack.
Despite taking 14 wickets in 16 matches last season, his impact went beyond the numbers. According to ESPNcricinfo’s bowling-impact metric, Krunal ranked 18th, underlining the value of his contributions even when he was not regularly picking up wickets.
Kartik believes that this ability to squeeze batters and force mistakes is often overlooked when teams assess a bowler’s effectiveness in T20 cricket.
“I am always amazed when people say you’re looking for wickets. How do you look for wickets in T20? There is no slip, there is no gully, there is no short leg, there is no silly point.
“So, you are getting wickets by building pressure. You’re getting wickets by outsmarting the batter, being slightly ahead of him, trying to do many things that are the need of the game,” said Kartik.
THE FEISTY KRUNAL
Krunal’s case is not built on bowling alone. He also brings intensity, competitiveness and the kind of all-round contribution that can make a difference in high-pressure games.
He has shown that he is willing to put his body on the line for the team. During RCB’s win in Raipur, he battled cramps and took blows to the body while fighting to get his side over the line. His contribution with the bat was significant, too. Krunal scored 226 runs last season at a strike rate of 145.80, hitting 20 fours and 11 sixes.
That combination of aggression, resilience and tactical awareness is part of what makes him an intriguing option for India.
“He’s a very smart and a feisty cricketer. You need that kind of zeal when you’re out there in the middle, and he’s got all of that. Again, as I said, age has never been a factor for me,” said Kartik.
AXAR PATEL THE BIGGEST ROADBLOCK?
If there is one obvious obstacle to Krunal’s India comeback, it is the presence of Axar Patel. The left-arm spinner has established himself as a key part of India’s setup, offering control in the powerplay, a regular wicket-taking threat and valuable runs lower down the order.
Axar’s recent returns make the competition even tougher. He has taken 31 wickets in 27 matches this year and continues to offer the kind of all-round balance India value in T20 cricket.
India also have other options to consider. Washington Sundar provides an off-spin option, while Naman Dhir has been used as another potential off-spinning all-rounder. Krunal would therefore need to offer something that the existing combination cannot already provide.
Kartik pointed to Axar’s effectiveness with the new ball as one reason why replacing him with a similar player would be difficult.
“Axar is your left-arm spinning all-rounder. He’s a man who bowls in the powerplay. He’s got some of the best numbers in the powerplay going around in terms of economy, as well as picking wickets.”
“So how do you not, how do you discard him and bring someone else who’s like-for-like? And also, they have been looking for somebody who can be an off-spinning all-rounder, and that’s where Naman Dhir has fitted in,” said Kartik.
That is the challenge Krunal faces. He is competing not just with other spinners, but with players who already fulfil specific roles in India’s combination. His route back may depend on whether the selectors want an experienced all-rounder who can contribute with both bat and ball, rather than another specialist option.
Krunal has the experience, the fitness and the tactical nous to make a case for himself. Whether India need what he offers is another question. But if the selection committee is willing to look beyond age and focus on current form, as Gavaskar has urged, the door need not be closed.
Like Bhuvneshwar, Krunal may yet find that a strong run of performances is enough to bring him back into the national conversation.
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