Hardik Pandya and I were forced to share one bat during Ranji Trophy days: Krunal Pandya

Indian all-rounders Hardik Pandya and Krunal Pandya represent Baroda in the domestic circuit and Mumbai Indians in the cash-rich Indian Premier League (IPL). While both the brothers are worth more than a million dollars for Mumbai Indians in their IPL 2020 campaign, things weren’t always the same for the now-famed Pandya family. In a recent interview with CricBuzz, elder brother Krunal Pandya opened up and recalled one of the stories from the times the two cricketers were making their way up through domestic cricket.

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Krunal Pandya opens up on about his early domestic years with brother Hardik Pandya

In the interview, Krunal Pandya said that it was difficult for their father to purchase expensive cricket kits for each of his two sons. Krunal added that both he and Hardik Pandya used to share a bat growing up until mercurial Indian and Baroda all-rounder Irfan Pathan gifted a bat to Krunal himself. Both Krunal Pandya and Hardik Pandya joined Baroda during the 2012-2013 Indian domestic season. At the time, Indian cricketer Irfan Pathan was a senior member of the Baroda camp, having joined the team in the year 2000.

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Krunal Pandya then recalled an instance from a Ranji Trophy game during which Hardik Pandya broke his bat while playing. Hardik was left with no spare bat and had to borrow one from his brother Krunal to bat at the top of the order. Since Krunal Pandya was set to bat in the lower order, Hardik hoped of returning the equipment back to his elder brother once he got out.

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However, wickets kept falling at the other end, which prompted Hardik to stay at the crease until his brother’s arrival. Krunal then had to ask for a spare bat from one of his teammates in the dressing room, which according to him in the interview, was very uncomfortable to do. Luckily, a teammate offered him his willow and the elder Pandya brother joined his Hardik at the crease.

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IPL 2020: Hardik Pandya and Krunal Pandya for Mumbai Indians

During the IPL 2020 trading window, both Hardik Pandya and Krunal Pandya were retained by Mumbai Indians for the IPL 2020. While Hardik was retained for US$1.5 million (₹11 crore), his elder brother Krunal was retained US$1.2 million (₹8.8 crore). The two all-rounders were initially slated to appear for Mumbai Indians on March 29 for their opening match. However, the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and the India lockdown prompted the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to postpone IPL 2020 until further notice.

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