Krunal Pandya revealed that he started working with his father from the young age of 12. The cricketer shared that he did several jobs in his teenage years, including working as a passport agent and a car broker, long before he became an IPL star.
Krunal Pandya has been a key player in Royal Challengers Bangalore's journey to their second consecutive IPL title. But long before he became an IPL superstar, his life was full of struggles. In an interview with the Times of India after RCB's big win, Krunal, the team's clutch player, opened up about his difficult childhood and the odd jobs he did before making it in cricket.
Krunal Pandya's Struggle Story: From Car Broker to IPL Champion
Krunal shared that he started going to work with his father when he was just 12 years old. He mentioned doing several jobs as a teenager, like being a passport agent and a car broker. "I like facing tough situations in life because I've been through them since I was a kid. When I was 11-12, I used to go to work with my dad. He was a passport agent," Krunal said. “I saw the struggles my parents faced in business and in life from a very young age. That's how I understood how hard life can be. By the time I was 14-15, I had become a passport agent myself. Initially, my job was to help people get their ration cards made.”
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He also explained the kind of work he did. "I used to prepare affidavits for passports, do all the paperwork, collect ration cards and electricity bills as ID proof, fill out forms online, and even go to different offices for name corrections," he added. Today, Krunal's earnings from his IPL career alone are over Rs 75 crore. He was bought by RCB in the 2025 IPL mega auction for a whopping Rs 5.75 crore. But he revealed there was a time when he used to sell second-hand cars for a commission of just Rs 3000.
"At one point, I was a car broker. I would get a commission of Rs 3000 for selling second-hand cars worth Rs 3-4 lakh," Krunal shared. "I saw life from all angles at a very young age. That's why I never give up on the cricket ground. When the game gets tough, that fighting spirit comes from these life experiences. The way you live your life is the only way you can play on the field."
In last season's final, Krunal was the Player of the Match, taking 2 wickets for just 17 runs. This season too, he was a vital part of the RCB squad. He took 14 wickets in 15 matches and also contributed 226 runs with the bat. His unbeaten 73 against Delhi Capitals was one of his standout performances this season.
