India's Krunal Pandya to represent Warwickshire in Royal London Cup
Indian all-rounder Krunal Pandya is set to represent the Warwickshire County Cricket Club for the upcoming season of Royal London Cup. Krunal, a prominent spin-bowling all-rounder in the Indian Premier League (IPL), continues his bid to return to India's white-ball squad. The 31-year-old joins Washington Sundar (Lancashire) and Cheteshwar Pujara (Sussex) in the domestic 50-over competition, starting August 2. Here are further details.
"Krunal is an incredible signing for the club, and I'm delighted to welcome him to Edgbaston," Warwickshire's director of cricket Paul Farbrace said. He added, "Krunal will bring a wealth of international experience to a team that will be desperate to do well. We believe this is a fantastic opportunity for our young players to learn from Krunal."
A left-handed batsman and a left-arm orthodox spinner, Krunal has had his taste of success in the IPL. The stylish all-rounder was an integral part of five-time champions Mumbai Indians from his debut season until 2021. Lucknow Super Giants picked Krunal after MI released him after the 2021 season. In an IPL career spanning seven years, he has registered 1,326 runs and 61 wickets.
Krunal finally made his international debut in 2018 in a T20I against the West Indies. His ODI debut came in 2021 against England. Krunal, who hasn't managed to cement his spot in the Indian side, has taken 15 wickets from 19 T20Is. He has also featured in five ODIs (two wickets). Krunal owns 130 ODI and 124 T20I runs with the bat.
Overall, Krunal has played a total of 154 T20 matches. He has snapped up 111 wickets at an average of 30.59. The southpaw has also amassed 1,936 runs with the bat. He has struck at 133.79 in the format.
The presence of Krunal would boost Warwickshire's camp. As per a report in ESPNcricinfo, as many as 10 players from the side will miss the Royal London Cup for The Hundred. Besides playing, Krunal will also act as a mentor for the fresh lot at Warwickshire, who will play eight group-stage matches. The tournament is set to take place from August 2 to 23.
