"If you have a good IPL, you can make an India comeback anytime" - Manish Pandey back at KKR to turn back the clock

A twinkle appears in his eye. A smile starts to form at the corner of his lip, in what has otherwise been an intense countenance.

“Glad you guys talk about domestic also and it’s not about IPL only,” Manish Pandey says in an exclusive chat with Sportskeeda.

He was talking about the match against Railways in the just-concluded Ranji Trophy. Chasing a gettable 226 in the fourth innings, Karnataka were tottering at 99 for six. Wicketkeeper Srinivas Sharath came out to bat and had only the pace troika to follow. But also at the crease was 34-year-old Manish Pandey.

He stitched together 34 with Sharath, a crucial 64 with Vijaykumar Vyshak, and a massive 32 for the final two wickets to take Karnataka home. The former skipper remained unbeaten on 67 off 121 balls with six boundaries and a maximum to boot. It was the outright win that eventually elevated them into the quarterfinals.

The prelude to that script was equally white-knuckle. Manish Pandey injured his finger in the build-up to the Goa encounter and was suddenly sitting with seven stitches. He missed the next game against Tripura too. He had the sutures removed just a day before flying to Surat for the Railways clash. By his own admission, it was still healing and he didn’t feel 100 percent.

In a way, that’s been Manish Pandey in a nutshell.

He has learnt the hard way that there’s no guarantee of success. But he will fight, through pain, agony, disappointment, failure.

What once looked like a promising career, never took off, before yielding only 68 caps for India across formats over seven years. Despite being the first Indian ever to score a century in the IPL, a spot in the cash-rich league has also come at a premium.

He is now back at KKR, a place that accentuated his growth and where he won his only IPL trophy. He’s one of only seven players to be a part of every single season since 2008. He’s definitely not one to surrender.

Ahead of IPL 2024, Manish Pandey spoke about reuniting with his old foes, the hunger to win games, the torment of warming the bench, and not giving up on an India comeback.

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Excerpts from Manish Pandey's exclusive interview with Sportskeeda:

Manish Pandey celebrates a match-winning 104* against Australia in just his 4th ODI

Q. You are one of only seven players to play every single season of the IPL. How big a validation is that?

Manish Pandey: I am probably doing something good. We have been putting in the hard yards for so many years now. And since we’ve devoted so much time to cricket, we don’t know anything else. It feels great to be part of the IPL, which is such a big platform, and I want to continue for as long as possible and keep my fitness right up there.

Q. You will turn 35 in September. What’s your fitness mantra?

Manish Pandey: You have to make sure that you’re regularly hitting the gym, not taking a break from running, and eating right. These three things are very important to maintain your fitness. You have to be disciplined if you want to prolong your career.

Q. You were initially unsold at the IPL 2024 auction, before KKR bought you back in the accelerated round. How did it feel?

Manish Pandey: Auction is not something that is in a player’s hand. I was really happy that KKR picked me in the second round. And it just felt like there’s something still left, that I can give back to KKR as a player. By the end of the IPL, I want to sit here and put my feet up and say, ‘I won a few games for KKR.’ That’s my goal for the season and I’d be really happy to do that.

Q. How does it feel to be back playing under Gautam Gambhir?

Manish Pandey: He’s somebody who always wants his players to do well. That’s what I’ve learnt from GG. He’s been very passionate about the game and his energy on the field is unmatched. And that’s what we learn as players, when your captain or leader is leaving everything on the field. I’ve made sure I try to replicate that in every game I play.

Q. LSG didn’t communicate before releasing you. The last season with DC didn’t go as well as you’d have wanted. How difficult has it been?

Manish Pandey: Yeah the last two years didn’t exactly go the way I wanted, in terms of my career and as a player. I didn’t grow much as a player. I’ve obviously continued to have good domestic seasons and played well for Karnataka. But in terms of franchise cricket, I wish the last two years were better for me. But yeah, past is past and, coming back to KKR, I would love to get my performances higher.

Q. How different have KKR become since the time you left?

Manish Pandey: The support stuff has changed and some younger players have come into the side. But my old friends, Sunny and Russell, are still there. Tendo is part of the squad. GG has always been there. Venky sir has always been very kind to everybody. So it feels good to come back to KKR. Sometimes, it’s the players who make the franchise and that’s what KKR have been doing over the years. They get in good players who are hungry to score and perform for the team. And that’s the reason KKR are one of the most successful franchises to play the IPL.

Q. It’s not easy for someone of your caliber and experience to sit out. Especially when you see players these days get a longer rope than what you probably should have deserved. How do you deal with frustration?

Manish Pandey: The more you think about it, the more it’ll frustrate you. What I did during the time I played for India, and I didn’t really play a lot of games and I sat out for a while, I just thought I’ll try and learn from everybody, whatever I can, and try to improve my game and fitness. And that’s what I’ve been thinking about, honestly. Initially, it was a little tough to be sitting out for the whole tour and not get even a single game. But I eventually thought I would try and contribute in whatever games I get. And that’s what has kept me sane and playing. You just want to be better at the end of the day. If not one tournament, you should always look forward to the next set of games. And that’s what I’ve been doing over the years.

Q. Are you excited to reunite with Shah Rukh Khan?

Manish Pandey: There hasn’t been any chat with Shah Rukh sir so far. I am pretty sure he’ll come for the games and I’ll then have the opportunity to speak to him and talk about the old times.

Q. Your last appearance for India came back in July 2021. Do you still believe you can come back into the side?

Manish Pandey: Yes, definitely. India are playing a lot of games with multiple squads. So I’m pretty sure, if you have a good IPL or a string of good performances, you can come back into the side anytime. You obviously don’t want anybody to get injured, but that’s how the doors open for any player to make a comeback. But for me, it’ll be important to play good cricket, to start with.

Q. Rinku Singh is one of the stories of the IPL. How do you look at his growth?

Manish Pandey: We all saw the kind of innings that Rinku played in Ahmedabad last year. To finish the game in that manner was unbelievable. It really boosted the morale of the team and told them, ‘We can come back from any situation any time.’ So there will be a lot of responsibility on Rinku’s shoulders this year as well. I hope he is ready and has found a way to tackle all those situations. Expectations are going to be high all the time from Rinku, because of the kind of cricket he’s been playing for India as well. He’s right up there, his hitting has improved, and he’s done the job for his side no matter where he goes. So it’s great to see Rinku in that kind of form and I’d love to learn from him.

Q. Are you doing anything different this season?

Manish Pandey: You’ve got to be aggressive in T20 cricket, that’s the number one priority. Using my feet and challenging any bowler would be something that I’ll be keeping in mind. It’s just about aggression and delivering on the field.

Q. Your scoring rate has previously come under scrutiny. But you are also somebody who wants to be there at the end. How do you look at strike-rate?

Manish Pandey: I think strike-rate is very important, especially when it comes to T20 cricket. This is something that can win games for you. I think I just have to take a leaf out of how Russ and Rinku finish games. They’ve been batting superbly over the seasons for KKR. But everybody has a different style of playing. I am somebody who starts at a particular pace and then finishes at a different pace. So if I am able to do that consistently, performances will come. I want to be the anchor of the batting and stay at the crease and win games.

Q. You were Karnataka’s highest scorer in the 2022 and 2023 Mushtaq Ali editions. You had two almost 500-run Ranji seasons. Satisfying or do you think you should have done more?

Manish Pandey: I’d always want to do more. As a batter, I’d love to have a lot of runs under my belt. Because that’s something that would give you confidence going forward. I’m glad my domestic seasons have been good and, touchwood, I’d want to continue performing for my state.

Q. How pleasing was that 67* against Railways in the Ranji Trophy this year?

Manish Pandey: It was quite good. Glad you guys talk about domestic also and it’s not only about IPL. It was a great game. I got injured in Mysore. I had a finger injury, I got a cut and then seven stitches. I wasn’t feeling 100 percent fit but I really wanted to come back and play for Karnataka. The stitches were off just a day before flying and it was still healing. And I really thought that game did wonders for us. Getting those six points was very, very crucial in terms of qualification. It wasn’t an easy wicket to bat on, and to win with the last wicket in hand really boosted the morale of the team. It’ll go down as one of the finest I’ve played for Karnataka in terms of winning a game.

Q. Who do you feel is the strongest outfit in IPL 2024?

Manish Pandey: It has to be KKR. The kind of players that we have, with GG coming in and Iyer as captain, the guys have been doing fantastic. The batting has been clicking. And we’ve now got Mitchell Starc in our fast bowling department, something we were lacking in. I would root for KKR, not because I am a part of the side, but because I genuinely believe we can go a long way.

Q. MS Dhoni is still going strong at 42. How big an inspiration has he been for you?

Manish Pandey: I’ve great admiration for Mahi bhai. I have played with him and I share a special bond with him. He’s been there every time we needed somebody to talk to. And the kind of fitness Mahi bhai has had, I wouldn’t be surprised if he plays for a couple more years. It’ll be very good for the game and I’m looking forward to meeting him this time.

Q. Do you sometimes wake up in the middle of the night and reminisce about that 94 in the IPL 2014 final?

Manish Pandey: Honestly, no. But every time I have to fall back on something, that innings will stand out forever. And that’s something I keep drawing inspiration from because you want to play innings like those and make your franchise win. That night will be one of the best memories of my cricketing career.

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