Royal Challengers Bengaluru's bowlers led from the front as they defeated defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders by seven wickets in the IPL 2025 season opener. Making his debut for RCB, Krunal Pandya was named Player of the Match for his impressive three-wicket haul. After conceding 15 runs in his first over, the all-rounder bounced back strongly in his second spell, finishing with 3/29. During his spell, Pandya experimented with various deliveries, including a surprising bouncer to Venkatesh Iyer. In the 11th over, he effectively changed his pace, delivering quicker balls to both batters, which resulted in the dismissals of Ajinkya Rahane and Iyer. Speaking at the post-match ceremony, Pandya was asked about his bowling variations and the decision to bowl a bouncer to Iyer. With a smile, he responded, "Why not?" Also read: Watch: Krunal Pandya Stuns Venkatesh Iyer with a Bouncer The Baroda all-rounder further spoke about the importance of adaptation for bowlers in modern cricket. "How cricket is evolving, skillsets of batters are evolving, they have the ability to hit good shots consistently, so you've got to make sure you up your game," he said. Pandya also praised wicketkeeper Jitesh Sharma behind the stumps. He pointed out about how Jitesh is always prepared for any unexpected deliveries. "One of the reasons for bowling quick was I wanted to give less time [to the batters]. Change of pace is something you associate with me also. Jitesh [Sharma, the wicketkeeper] knows I can do anything anytime, a wide yorker or a bouncer. He's well aware of it. If you have something in your armoury to use to your advantage, why not?" he said. 'If you get hit, you should only get hit on a good ball.' Reflecting on his recovery after the expensive first over, Pandya shared how he stayed focused and adjusted his lengths accordingly. "When you play in front of such a big crowd, you have to narrow down your focus. That's what I did when I came back in the second over. I narrowed down the focus on where I wanted to bowl. If you get hit, you should only get hit on a good ball," he said. RCB had placed faith in Pandya during the IPL 2025 auction. Head coach Andy Flower had earlier highlighted Pandya’s importance to the team's plans. "Krunal was a significant part of our targeted players in the auction. He's a smart and courageous cricketer and he's got leadership experience as well," Flower had said. Royal Challengers Bengaluru will face Chennai Super Kings on March 26 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in their second match. With six wickets in his 10 matches at the venue, Pandya will once again be a key figure for the three-time finalists.