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Krunal Pandya was overlooked for India’s upcoming T20I series against Afghanistan despite his impressive recent form. Following the squad announcement, the all-rounder shared a cryptic Instagram post saying, “Hope is still alive,” with a fingers-crossed emoji and Indian flag. The message quickly went viral, with fans interpreting it as Krunal’s determination to make a national comeback.

Indian all-rounder Krunal Pandya has grabbed attention on social media after being left out of India’s squad for the upcoming three-match T20I series against Afghanistan. The selectors announced the squad on Tuesday, with the series scheduled to begin in Delhi on September 13. Krunal’s omission came despite growing speculation that he could make his international comeback.

Soon after the squad announcement, Krunal took to Instagram and shared a cryptic message that quickly went viral. The 35-year-old posted, “Hope is still alive”, accompanied by a fingers-crossed emoji and the Indian flag. While he did not directly mention his exclusion, the post was widely interpreted as a sign that the all-rounder remains hopeful of earning another opportunity with Team India.

Krunal last represented India in 2021 and has since been away from the national setup. However, his recent performances have reignited hopes of a comeback. In the 2026 IPL season, he played an important role for Royal Challengers Bengaluru, scoring 226 runs in nine innings at a strike rate of 145.80 and also claiming 14 wickets.

His domestic form has also been encouraging. In five matches and four innings, Krunal has scored 130 runs at an average of 65 and a strike rate of 101.56, including an unbeaten 58. He has also picked up two wickets during the campaign. Despite those numbers, the selectors opted for Axar Patel and Washington Sundar as their spin-bowling all-rounder options for the Afghanistan series.