New Delhi: If Hardik Pandya emerged as a new cricket sensation for title holders Mumbai Indians last season, then this time it's his elder brother Krunal, who is making a name for himself with his all-round abilities.
After the game against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) on Wednesday, which MI won by six wickets, skipper Rohit Sharma heaped praise on Krunal by saying that the youngster is proving to be a game-changer in every match.
Against RCB, Krunal picked two crucial wickets of Kohli (33) and de Villiers (29) in a single over to halt their momentum.
"He (Krunal) has been impressive. Even in the first game he played here against Gujarat Lions, he did not get wickets but bowled four overs for just 20 runs and, then he did it with the bat in Hyderabad, scored 49 off just 25-26 balls and again today getting those two big important wickets in the middle (A B de Villiers and Virat Kohli) was very crucial from the team's perspective," Rohit said in the post-match press conference.
In the match against Sunrisers Hyderabad, Krunal, 25, showed his batting prowess as he smacked a quick-fire 49 off 28 balls to help his team put up a decent total on the board.
"I think he has got something about him, he knows his bowling really well and he understands the conditions really well, so it makes my job easier as a captain he sets his own field which is I think very crucial. It shows that you have got lot of confidence into your bowling," Rohit added.