‘We move ahead and carry with us this beautiful journey’ – Krunal Pandya grateful for representing MI in IPL

All-rounder Krunal Pandya has parted ways with Mumbai Indians going into the 2022 edition of the Indian Premier League. Back in 2016, the Rohit Sharma-led team bought the cricketer for a whopping price of INR 2 crores. In the season prior to that, it was his brother, Hardik, who made the headlines by being a part of MI’s title-winning campaign.

Krunal played 84 games for the Mumbai-based franchise across six seasons where he scored 1143 runs and picked up 51 wickets. In the last two seasons, he didn’t quite have the best of times and hence, MI let him go ahead of the mega auction for the next season.

In the retentions a few days ago, Mumbai Indians retained Rohit, Kieron Pollard, Jasprit Bumrah and Suryakumar Yadav. In the meantime, Krunal was a tad emotional after MI released him off his services. He went down the memory lane to the good times he has spent with the franchise.

Krunal took to Twitter and wrote, “6 years, 3 trophies and innumerable memories later, we move ahead and carry with us this beautiful journey with @mipaltan.Thank you MI and MI paltan for all the love you have shown all these years. Always grateful.”

Krunal Pandya’s post

Krunal has shared a great bonding with his brother Hardik while playing in the IPL. Last year, he bowled a brilliant spell against the Punjab Kings where he gave away only 27 runs and picked up the crucial wicket of Karun Nair.

Hardik even went on to laud Krunal, comparing his yorkers with that of the legendary Wasim Akram. “We are seeing this new thing coming. Where is this Wasim Akram coming in and bowling yorkers?” Hardik asked Krunal in a video interview for the IPL.

In reply, Krunal said that the skills of the batters have gone up and hence, bowlers have to find ways of surviving.

“These days the batting skill has gone so, so up and the way the wickets are… you have to find your own way to make doesn’t go after you. Sometimes, you have to do all this. At the end of the day, if you execute your plans, you are going to be happy,” Krunal said.