‘Hardik and I are reaping the fruits of his efforts’: Krunal gets emotional as he remembers his father ahead of IPL 2021

In a video shared by Mumbai Indains on social media, Krunal said he feels his father's presence with him whenever he does well on the field.

All-rounder Krunal Pandya is gearing up for the upcoming season of the Indian Premier League (IPL). He has been training with other teammates in Chennai as the defending champions gear up for the season opener against Virat Kohli’s Royal Challengers Bangalore on April 9 at MA Chidambaram Stadium.

Krunal Pandya: File photo (PTI)

Krunal made a terrific debut in the recently-concluded 3-match ODI series against England which India pocketed 2-1. He scored 95 runs in three games, including a 31-ball 51 in his debut innings.

Ahead of the tournament, the all-rounder remembered his late father Himanshu Pandya who passed away in January this year. In a video shared by the franchise on social media, Krunal said he feels his father's presence with him whenever he does well on the field.

“It has been a difficult last 2 months because of what happened with Dad (passing away). One thing which I've realised is the life that we (Krunal and Hardik) have got as a family... a lot of hard work, sacrifices and struggle has been done by that man.

“We can say that we are just reaping the fruits of his efforts. He planted the seeds and made them blossom. Now when he's not there and there are so many good things happening... You feel the weight of all that he did and gave us. Somewhere I feel that one part of my heart has gone with him,” Krunal said in the video.

“Yes, people say time heals everything but what I feel is from here on whatever good things I do in life I'll always remember him. Just 2 days before he passed away (16th (January), on the 14th of January he called me after seeing one of my innings in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, which was in Baroda. He said, 'I've seen your knock, I’ve seen you play from the age of 6... But one thing I’ll tell you, after watching this knock is that your time will come now.

“So, I was just joking around... I said, ‘Dad, I’ve been playing for the last 5 years, I’ve played for India and done well. We just won the IPL (2020) trophy.' He said, ‘Whatever you have done till now is fine but your time will come’. These were his last words to me. And then, he went away after 2 days. Somewhere down the line, I feel that his presence is there with me. It’s difficult, I feel every day that he is there. I miss him, in a good way. He was full of life in our family,” he further said.