'Hope still alive': Krunal Pandya reacts to India's squad announcement
What's the story
Krunal Pandya, the 35-year-old Indian all-rounder, recently made headlines due to his potential comeback to the national side. Krunal took to social media after the BCCI announced the squad for the Afghanistan T20I series, sharing a cryptic message saying: "Hope is still alive." His post hints that he remains hopeful of returning to international cricket despite being overlooked.
Return
Krunal in contention with stellar IPL season
Krunal last represented India in a T20I series against Sri Lanka in 2021.
However, he has remained on the selectors' radar due to his stellar performances in the 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL).
Playing for Royal Challengers Bengaluru, he took 14 wickets and proved his worth as a left-arm spin-bowling all-rounder.
His consistent performances made him a strong contender for India's T20I squad after recent tours of Ireland and England.
Past achievements
A look at Krunal's career
In his brief international career, Krunal has played five ODIs and 19 T20Is for India. He has scored 254 runs in these 24 matches while taking 17 wickets with the ball.
Despite not playing for India for nearly five years now, he has been a key player in the IPL, scoring 1,982 runs at a strike rate of 133.82 and taking 107 wickets at an economy rate of 7.57.
Team composition
Team India for T20I series against Afghanistan
The Indian team for the three-match T20I series against Afghanistan includes Shreyas Iyer (captain), Abhishek Sharma, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Sanju Samson (wicket-keeper), Ishan Kishan (wicket-keeper), Tilak Varma (vice-captain), Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Varun Chakravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi, and Arshdeep Singh.
Jasprit Bumrah has also been included but is subject to fitness clearance.
Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, and Harshit Rana have also been included, subject to fitness clearance after recent injuries.