Hardik and Krunal made history on Sunday by becoming the first brothers to captain both opposing teams in an IPL match. The occasion was also special as the two brothers were playing in their home state of Gujarat.
The incident happened on the last ball of the 16th inning when Hardik crushed Mohsin Khan’s full delivery on the outside quite hard but went straight to Krunal in extra coverage who made no mistakes to catch it. The impact of the shot was so strong that Krunal was seen wringing his hand after completing the hold.
We’ve seen brothers play against each other in the money-rich league in the past, including Indian stars Irfan and Yusuf Pathan, but never before have two siblings led their teams.
“It’s a dream come true for us, leading our respective teams,” said elder brother Krunal, 32, skipper of LSG, after winning the draw.
But he added: “Once we step onto the pitch, the face of the game will be on.”
The skipper of GT Hardik, 29, adjusted his big brother’s hat and also told the host, who had mischaracterized him, that the coin had fallen in favor of Krunal.
“Big emotional day for the family, our dad would have been proud,” said an emotional Hardik, a national team regular and a far bigger star than Krunal.
“It’s something that happens for the first time. At a loss for words, but the family is proud. A Pandya will win.”
