Known for collecting watches that go as high as INR 1.5 crore, his obsession with watches once put him in a troublesome position

Indian cricketer Krunal Pandya, just like his brother Hardik Pandya, is known for his fashion sense. In fact, to some extent, we can say that Krunal is more sartorially sensible and knows how not to dress loudly. Not only does Krunal have a keen sense of style, but he also has a wide array of expensive accessories, including watches that he pairs with his wardrobe. Yes, Krunal Pandya has a thing for expensive watches, but on one occasion, his obsession with expensive watches put him in trouble.

As Pandya turns 35 on this day, we take a look at an incident that many fans or cricket enthusiasts may not be aware of.

Undisclosed valuables

Krunal Pandya spotted at the airport ✈️#krunalpandya pic.twitter.com/ndVMNIS0kP

— Manas Bollywood (@Manasbollywood) March 27, 2024

In 2020, Krunal Pandya flew into Mumbai International Airport from the UAE with multiple valuable items, including gold, merchandise, and expensive watches. However, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) detained him upon landing and passing through customs. A DRI source had said, “Cricketer Krunal Pandya stopped by Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) at the Mumbai International Airport over suspicion of being in possession of undisclosed gold and other valuables while returning from the UAE,” as quoted by media outlet Wion.

The watches, including Omega and Audemars Piguet models, were worth over INR one crore, which Pandya did not declare.

Reason & fine

 

After being detained, Pandya argued that he was unaware of the customs rules and regulations and therefore did not disclose the expensive purchases he had made outside the country that he had brought with him. His luxury watches were seized, and he was only allowed to take them home after paying a fine of nearly 38 per cent of their value. The Baroda-based player was let go after nearly six hours of questioning.

 

Pandya’s watch collection

Patek Philippe Nautilus 5980 pic.twitter.com/TEKmTS1j34

— Patek Philippe Club (@patekphilippe__) March 18, 2026

Pandya’s wide collection of luxury watches included a Patek Philippe 5980/1R Nautilus Black Dial worth INR 1.24 crore, a Rolex GMT Master 2 18K Rose Gold Gem Set worth INR 1.14 crore, a Rolex Cosmograph Daytona Rainbow having a price tag of INR 72 lakh and an Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Frosted Gold costing INR 53.49 lakh.

Pandya’s next

RCB fans can never forget how Krunal Pandya pulled the final back for RCB with a truly goated spell🥶 pic.twitter.com/L1MDKCUIW7

— 🚩 (@was_groottt18) March 18, 2026

Krunal Pandya has not represented the Indian team in a long time due to inconsistent performances, but he will be seen playing in the Indian Premier League (IPL) for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru next. 2026 will be Pandya’s 10th IPL season, and so far, he has 1,756 runs and 93 wickets in his 142 IPL matches.