Why didn't Krunal Pandya bowl vs GT? [Source: AP]The Royal Challengers Bengaluru suffered their third defeat of IPL 2026 as they took on the Gujarat Titans on Thursday night in Ahmedabad. With the loss, the defending champions squandered their opportunity to go top of the table with 14 points in 9 matches. Amid the loss, one of the talking points from RCB’s perspective was Krunal Pandya, who did not bowl a single ball when they tried to defend an underwhelming 156 on a red-soil wicket. Despite 15.5 overs in the second innings, he was the only frontline bowler who remained unutilized by Rajat Patidar. As doubts over a potential injury arose, star pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar had to issue clarification on behalf of the RCB camp, whether Krunal is fit to play the upcoming games or will head to the sidelines. Why didn’t Krunal Pandya bowl vs GT? In the second innings, as the Royal Challengers looked to defend the total, Bhuvneshwar Kumar once again started on a positive note, dismissing both the openers, Sai Sudharsan and Shubman Gill, inside the powerplay. He then also got rid of Jos Buttler, putting RCB in a position to stage a comeback in the match. Interestingly, Rajat Patidar went all in and attacked the batters with his prime quick bowlers, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Josh Hazlewood and bowled both of them out within the first 9 overs. Then Romario Shepherd was also bowled out, and Suyash Sharma was in his final over when GT completed the chase, making it only 4 bowlers in 16 overs. In the post-match presser, to end any unnecessary speculation, Kumar clarified that Krunal Pandya being left unused was a strategic decision and that the all-rounder is fit to continue for the remainder of the season. “Krunal Pandya not bowling was a strategic call. If you look at the scenario, there was some help for the seamers. You don't want to bowl spinners just because they're playing, if there was any help, he would've bowled,” he told. Also Read: Virat Kohli, Shubman Gill Take Next Step After Abusive Send Off HeatBhuvneshwar Kumar continues his red-hot form As RCB looked to defend a low score on Thursday, the veteran pacer was among the top performers from his side, keeping them alive with a fantastic spell of 3/28 in his four overs. On the other end, Josh Hazlewood went for 0/56 (4). With another three-fer, the out-of-favour Indian bowler continues his remarkable season as the leading wicket-taker. With 9 matches played, he has racked up 17 wickets at an economy rate of 7.54 runs per over. Currently, among the top-10 bowlers of the season, nobody has a better economy. Having last won the purple cap in 2017, he is in a position to become the first-ever bowler to achieve the feat three times in his IPL career. Notably, Krunal Pandya, who did not bowl any overs against GT, is their second-highest wicket-taker with 8 scalps in 8 innings, using a plethora of variations, including the occasional bumpers. RCB eye top-2 finish again In IPL 2025, as they lifted their maiden title, RCB had finished second on the table on the virtue of net run-rate, giving them the leverage of playing Qualifier 1. They had racked up 19 points in 14 matches, with 9 wins and four defeats. Now, as they look to defend the title, they are in a position to replicate the feat, sitting second after 9 matches played. With 6 wins and 3 losses, they have the best net run rate this season. Only the Punjab Kings, with 13 points in 8 matches, are currently ahead, heading into the final stages of the league phase. Also Read: IPL 2026: RR vs DC Prediction, Match 43- Who Will Win Today?
