Why did Krunal Pandya write "Hope is still alive"?

Krunal Pandya shared a cryptic post on social media after being left out of India’s squad for the three-match T20I series against Afghanistan. The 35-year-old all-rounder posted, “Hope is still alive”, along with a fingers-crossed emoji and the Indian flag. The post quickly caught the attention of fans.

Krunal’s omission came despite his strong performances for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the last two IPL seasons. He has been hoping to make his return to international cricket and earn another opportunity with Team India. His latest post suggests that he has not given up on his international comeback.

India will face Afghanistan in three T20Is on September 13, 15 and 17. All three matches will be played at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi. Krunal will now have to continue performing strongly at the domestic and IPL level to remain in contention for a place in the Indian team.

Krunal Pandya left out of India's T20I squad for Afghanistan series again

After the squad was announced on Tuesday, Krunal Pandya shared a four-word message on social media. The 35-year-old all-rounder has been pushing for a place in the Indian team for some time, especially after playing an important role for his franchise in the last two IPL seasons.

India may need to consider more left-arm orthodox spin options in the future, which could bring Krunal back into the picture. Axar Patel played seven matches in Ireland and England but managed to take only four wickets. Apart from Axar, no other left-arm spinner has firmly established a place in India’s T20I team, which could work in Krunal’s favour.

India and Afghanistan will play three T20Is on September 13, 15 and 17. All three matches will be held at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi. Krunal will hope to continue performing well and earn another chance to return to the Indian T20I squad.

"Hope is still alive": What Krunal posted after a stellar IPL 2026 season with RCB

Soon after India’s squad announcement, Krunal Pandya shared a cryptic message on Instagram that quickly caught the attention of fans. The 35-year-old posted, “Hope is still alive”, along with a fingers-crossed emoji and the Indian flag. While he did not directly mention his omission, the post suggested that Krunal remains hopeful of making a return to Team India.

Krunal last played for India in 2021 but has recently put himself back in contention with his performances. During IPL 2026, he played an important role for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), scoring 226 runs in nine innings at a strike rate of 145.80 and taking 14 wickets. He has also shown good form in domestic cricket, scoring 130 runs in five matches and taking two wickets.

India may need more left-arm orthodox spin options in the future, which could give Krunal another chance. Axar Patel played seven matches in Ireland and England but took only four wickets, while no other left-arm spinner has firmly secured a place in India’s T20I team. Krunal’s experience and recent form could therefore keep him in contention for a future comeback.

Axar Patel, Washington Sundar picked instead — Is a Krunal comeback still on the cards?

The Indian selectors have picked Axar Patel and Washington Sundar as the spin-bowling all-rounders for the upcoming T20I series against Afghanistan. As a result, Krunal Pandya has once again missed out on a place in the Indian squad despite his strong performances in IPL 2026.

Axar remains an important option for India, while Washington Sundar also offers both batting and bowling abilities. However, Krunal’s recent form could keep him in the selectors’ plans. His performances for Royal Challengers Bengaluru in IPL 2026 showed that he can still make an impact with both bat and ball.

Krunal’s chances of making a comeback may depend on his performances in the coming months. With India still looking for reliable left-arm spin options, the 35-year-old could get another opportunity if he continues to perform consistently. His cryptic post has also given fans hope that his international comeback may still be possible.

India squad for Afghanistan T20 series

Shreyas Iyer (Captain), Abhishek Sharma, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Sanju Samson (WK), Ishan Kishan (WK), Tilak Varma (VC), Shivam Dube, Nitish Kumar Reddy*, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar*, Varun Chakravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi, Jasprit Bumrah*, Arshdeep Singh, Harshit Rana*.

(* subject to fitness clearance)