"Krunal Pandya is new Kohli for RCB" - Fans hail left-arm spinner for game-changing spell in KKR vs RCB IPL 2025 clash

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) all-rounder Krunal Pandya produced a sensational spell of spin bowling in the IPL 2025 opener against the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at Eden Gardens on March 22. On a pitch traditionally tailormade for batters, the veteran left-arm spinner finished with outstanding figures of 3/29 in four overs.

After RCB skipper Rajat Patidar won the toss and elected to bowl first, KKR overcame the loss of an early wicket to set the packed arena alive. However, after a poor first over, Krunal returned after the dismissal of Sunil Narine to nullify the powerful KKR middle order.

The left-arm spinner bagged the big wicket of the well-set Ajinkya Rahane for 56 and followed that up by cleaning up Venkatesh Iyer and Rinku Singh to stun the home fans.

Krunal Pandya was acquired by RCB for ₹5.75 crores in the IPL 2025 auction after spending his last three seasons with the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG).

His immediate impact had fans on Twitter hailing the veteran all-rounder with the following reactions:

Fans continued to praise Krunal Pandya for his brilliant spell, saying:

"Excellent comeback. Very Un-RCB. Krunal Pandya's gonna be invaluable. Terrific buy for RCB."

Krunal Pandya might just be the long missing lower order allrounder RCB desperately needed. He is a dependable batter and also can spin economically. 29 for 3 in 4 overs. taking wickets of Rahane, Venky and Rinku," tweeted a fan.

"Krunal pandya is new kohli for RCB," a fan said.

Krunal Pandya's masterful spell has RCB ahead in IPL 2025 opener against KKR

Krunal Pandya's magnificent spell led to a KKR collapse that saw them finish on a below-par 174/8 in 20 overs after a blistering first 10 overs. KKR were coasting at 107 for 1 in 9.5 overs before losing a series of wickets while scoring only 67 runs off the back 10 overs.

Krunal was well-supported by Aussie pacer Josh Hazlewood, who finished with figures of 2/22 in four overs. KKR have dominated RCB in recent meetings, winning their last four outings against them.

However, RCB look on course to stop the rut, racing away to an incredible 80/0 in six overs.

About the author

Venkatesh has been writing cricket news, listicle and feature articles for Sportskeeda for over a year. He loves cricket because of the diversity of the playing fields and its unparalleled nuances, which no other sport presents. He also enjoys the analytical and quantitative side of the sport, which originates from his MBA degree and 10 years of experience in the IT industry in companies like Infosys, Atos and TCS.

Venkatesh ensures proper research from reliable sources and social media trends to gather information, and adds his own dash of creativity to create insightful content.

He started watching cricket in the late 1990s, having been impressed with South Africa and New Zealand’s gentleman-like attitude. Domestically, he supports the Chennai Super Kings for their ability to bring the best out of their players owing to a friendly and conducive team environment.

He admires three cricketers the most – Brian Lara for his batting style, AB de Villiers for changing the paradigm of batting and MS Dhoni for his unique cerebral approach to field placings and batting. Along with cricket, Venkatesh also enjoys watching and playing tennis and basketball. In his free time, he finds pleasure in singing and watching movies and web series.

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Edited by Ankush Das