Summary of this article
Krunal Pandya says his bouncers are based on instinct, not pre-planned strategies
Uses variation and reading batters to stay one step ahead during spells
RCB all-rounder credits in-game awareness for effectiveness in IPL 2026
Royal Challengers Bengaluru spin bowling all-rounder Krunal Pandya says he does not pre-plan sending down his bouncers but uses the delivery as per his gut feeling and to be one step ahead of the batters.
Krunal produced a measly spell of 4-0-26-1 as RCB defeated Mumbai Indians by 18 runs in their Indian Premier League clash here on Sunday. In reply to RCB’s monumental 240 for four, Mumbai Indians could manage 222 for five.
“I have never shied away from trying different and new things because with the Impact Player rule, previously, you had No. 6 or 7 as all-rounders and batsmanship was quite different. But now there are pure batters (coming in) at No. 8,” Krunal told reporters after the match.
“And plus the skill sets, young boys like Mukul (Choudhary) and Vaibhav (Sooryavanshi) are hitting from ball one consistently. As a bowler, I want to be one step ahead with the skillset and mental part as well.
“I am glad that it is coming out well and hope that in this format, there are finger spinners who survive and who can take something out of it and do well. Because for (a) finger spinner with having flat tracks and eight batters, it has become very difficult,” Krunal added.
Krunal said he does not prepare too much with his surprise short quick ball -- one that batters tend to leave alone -- and there is no specific plan to use them as well.
“I am someone who follows my gut. I don't pre-plan that I want to bowl the fourth or fifth or sixth ball (as a) bouncer. There are days where I will bowl two bouncers back to back and suddenly I will bowl first ball and the sixth ball,” he said.
“But yeah, it is more sort of gut feeling when to bowl which ball and I just commit 100 per cent to that. People tend to speak a lot about my bouncers and the balls which looks quite different and funny.
“… but I have always worked on the basics of my bowling and if you see I am tall and I have been able to get that bounce, I have (also) been able to get batsmen out with spin and deceiving in the flight,” he added.
Krunal said Virat Kohli should be “fine” after the batting superstar did not take field in the second half of the game owing to an ankle-related trouble.
"I have not spoken to the physio yet but I think he will be fine. I guess (there is) nothing to worry,” Krunal said.
Meanwhile, Mumbai Indians batter Sherfane Rutherford admitted that his side will have to go back to the drawing board after they suffered their third defeat on the trot.
“We always take the learnings. We need to go back to the drawing board and try and strengthen on the small margins. We are a good team and three games do not make us a bad team,” Rutherford said.
“It's a long tournament, and in a long tournament, it's not how you start but it's how you pick up momentum. I think, moving forward, that will be the most important thing for us,” he added.
