'Ultimate goal is...': Krunal Pandya eyes Team India return
What's the story
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) star Krunal Pandya has opened up about his desire to represent Team India again. The left-arm spin-bowling all-rounder last played for the national side in July 2021 during a tour of Sri Lanka. Since then, he has not made any international appearances. However, despite this long gap, Pandya remains hopeful and focused on his performances in domestic leagues, including the Indian Premier League.
Goal
'Ultimate goal is to represent the country'
Speaking to reporters after RCB's 18-run win over Mumbai Indians in the ongoing 2026 IPL, Pandya said, "The ultimate goal is to represent the country, and I don't dwell too much on it." He emphasized that his current focus is on performing well and winning games. "And in that process, if I get that opportunity, I'll be really glad because that's the ultimate goal, playing for the country," he added.
Performance
A look at his international career
In his brief international career, Pandya has played five ODIs and 19 T20Is for India. He has scored a total of 254 runs in these 24 matches while taking 17 wickets with the ball. Despite not playing for India for over four years now, he has been a key player in the IPL, scoring 1,757 runs at an average of nearly 22 and taking 98 wickets at an economy rate of over seven.
Career
Pandya's IPL journey
Pandya was bought by Mumbai Indians in the IPL 2016 auction for ₹2 crore. In his debut season, he scored 237 runs at a strike rate of 191.12 and took six wickets. He also played a crucial role in MI's back-to-back title wins in 2019 and 2020. The all-rounder then joined Lucknow Super Giants in 2022 before being bought by RCB at the 2025 mega auction.