The Pandya brothers' relationship has long balanced camaraderie with competition, from Baroda's domestic circuit to IPL title runs with Mumbai Indians and shared stints with Team India. Krunal, the elder brother, carved a reputation as a control-driven all-rounder, while Hardik's rise has been built on explosive power and high-impact performances.
Their overlapping journeys, particularly during MI's title-winning years between 2017 and 2020, established them as one of Indian cricket's most recognisable sibling duos.
That backdrop has made recent visuals from IPL 2026 a talking point. During the Mumbai Indians vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru clash on April 12, two moments drew scrutiny. Krunal's sharp bouncer to Hardik evoked a sharp stare from the younger sibling, and later, his animated celebration following Hardik's dismissal, despite not being the bowler added to the narrative.
However, in characteristic RCB fashion, Krunal has addressed the speculation during an appearance on the RCB Insider podcast with Danish Sait.
𝗔𝘂𝗿𝗮 + 𝗩𝗶𝗯𝗲𝘀: 𝗞𝗿𝘂𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗣𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘆𝗮 🤝 𝗠𝗿. 𝗡𝗮𝗴𝘀 😂🥶✌️
— Royal Challengers Bengaluru (@RCBTweets) April 22, 2026
Krunal's hairstyles, business ventures, on field tactics & antics, and some personal life secrets - Mr. Nags bowls bouncers to Krunal Pandya on this latest episode of @bigbasket_com presents RCB Insider.… pic.twitter.com/iI4U3KofMI
Here's a look at what the RCB all-rounder has said:
Dismissing the claims with a light tone, Krunal laughed off suggestions of a "fight," insisting that "all is ok" between the brothers. When Mr. Nags (Danish Sait's RCB persona) pointed out that WWE reel siblings Kane and Undertaker also fight, Krunal let out a hearty laugh.
The brothers have shared dressing rooms across formats and franchises, winning multiple titles together and representing India in tandem between 2018 and 2021.
Their current loyalties place them on opposite sides, with Hardik leading Mumbai Indians, while Krunal is a key figure in RCB's setup, putting in a Player of the Match performance to help them seal a maiden title in 2025. .
Krunal, a four-time IPL champion, holds the unique distinction of being the first player in tournament history to win the Player of the Match award in two separate IPL Finals (2017 and 2025).
Hardik meanwhile has five IPL titles to his name, winning four with MI between 2015 to 2020, before leading Gujarat Titans to the crown in their debut season in 2022. He remains a central figure in India's white-ball setup, becoming a two-time T20 World Cup champion last month.
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