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Sunil Gavaskar backs Krunal Pandya for Bhuvneshwar Kumar-like India comeback

Indian cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar has publicly backed Royal Challengers Bengaluru all-rounder Krunal Pandya for a return to the national team, drawing parallels to Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s recent comeback. Pandya played a pivotal role in RCB’s back-to-back IPL title wins in 2025 and 2026, delivering standout performances with both bat and ball.

In the 2026 season alone, he took 14 wickets at an economy of 8.45 while scoring 226 runs, including a crucial half-century against Mumbai Indians. His ability to mix lengths and read batsmen’s minds, along with his energetic fielding and lower-order batting, earned Gavaskar’s praise as essential for India’s white-ball ambitions, particularly ahead of the 2027 ODI World Cup.

Pandya last represented India in 2021 during the Sri Lanka tour, leaving fans and selectors eager for his potential revival in the national setup.

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