"We all know who’s Virat Kohli" - Krunal Pandya excited to play for RCB in IPL 2025
All-rounder Krunal Pandya has shared his excitement about plying his trade for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the upcoming season of the Indian Premier League (IPL). The Baroda-based cricketer was roped in by the franchise at the IPL 2025 auction at ₹5.75 crore.
In a video shared by RCB on their official YouTube channel, Krunal spoke about his admiration for the team's marquee player Virat Kohli. He emphasized how he is fond of the ace batter's passion for the game.
Krunal said (from 1:05):
"We all know who's Virat Kohli and what he has done. Lots to learn as well from him. Again, I love his passion and aggression, what he brings to the team and that energy just rubs onto the others as well. I love that vibe and energy."
The 33-year-old said like Kohli, he too is hungry to succeed, which was also the reason for his on-field aggression. Speaking about how he loves to win trophies, Krunal added (from 1:27):
"I'm also very passionate; I love winning. The agenda when I go out there on the field is to win, regardless of what happens. Sometimes, that brings out that aggression because you are so passionate about the game. At the end of the day, what I believe is that it's a team game. For me, winning becomes much more important rather than individual performance because I love winning trophies."
Krunal Pandya has carved a niche for himself with miserly spells and impactful cameos in the IPL. He is an experienced campaigner, with 127 matches in the league to his name.
"A great motivation" - Krunal Pandya on RCB's empty trophy cabinet
In the aforementioned video, Krunal Pandya commented that RCB's empty trophy cabinet is a massive motivating factor for him. He mentioned that he is thrilled with whatever he has seen of the Bengaluru side so far and is keen to guide the team to their maiden title victory.
Krunal remarked (from 0:21):
"Everything what I see about RCB, at this point of time, is very exciting. You know, getting into the season knowing the fact that RCB has not won, that itself is a great motivation to go out there and play."
Krunal Pandya has 76 IPL wickets from 127 outings at an impressive economy rate of 7.37. With the bat, he has chalked up 1,647 runs at a strike rate of 132.82.