New Delhi, March 29 – Veteran right-handed batter Manish Pandey, who is one of only four players to have featured in every edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) since its inception in 2008, says his 19-year journey feels like a whirlwind.
Pandey will be playing for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in IPL 2026, where they will open their campaign against Mumbai Indians (MI) at the Wankhede Stadium. In 174 IPL matches, Pandey has scored 3,942 runs at a strike rate of 121.52.
“It’s been an amazing journey – 19 years, and it feels like it’s just gone by in a flash. I started with RCB in the first year after the U19 World Cup. It was a great experience, but honestly, it feels like it has all just passed in a moment. So, I’ve seen from 2008 to about 2026,” Pandey said.
“It’s been a great memory overall, and I’m happy to be one of the few players who have been a part of all the IPLs. I’m trying to give my best to this game. It’s purely because of the passion and love for the game,” Pandey added.
Pandey holds the distinction of being the first Indian to score a century in the IPL in 2009, and reflected on how the tournament has evolved and shaped his career. “Absolutely. We were just young, 18-19 year olds. We were just trying to discover the game and ourselves. In the second season, I got a hundred in South Africa in IPL 2009 for RCB, and it was a great feeling.”
“The way the tournament was going, I wasn’t expecting to get that opportunity to score runs, which has been very helpful. But, it was a great memory being the first Indian to score a century and the youngest then. But now, someone else has the record.
“But just being in that situation is really amazing. This game has taught us a lot. Obviously, this tournament has taught us a lot, and we are continuously evolving with it. Hopefully, we learn a lot more. It was a little different back then when we started.
“We all were still understanding the whole dynamics of the tournament and ourselves. It has come a long way. IPL has grown so much in these 19 years, and I’m pretty sure that it will just keep on growing for ages to come. Not only from the players' perspective, but from everybody, the sponsors, fans, and the amount of joy this game or tournament has given to a lot of fans is unbelievable,” he elaborated.
Pandey further stated that the IPL has grown into one of the most influential tournaments in the cricketing world and providing a platform for young talent to emerge. “For us as players, back then, even a 160 would be a good score, and 140 were considered defendable. But now, the pace of the game has changed. It’s a lot faster, with so many high-scoring games. The kind of bowlers, and the variations that come in, there are too many now.
“So, it has really evolved, and I’m happy to see it being at the center of everything. IPL is one of the main tournaments in world cricket right now. Obviously, it has tested a lot of players who have seen it for one year, and some who have seen it for a very long time. Obviously, it has really helped cricket to grow in general. As I said, it’s at the center of all the affairs where it comes to discovering talents and then moving forward.
“Even as a player, I think IPL has made the game bigger in terms of the talent that is coming in and the kind of requirements this game has right now. So, IPL has done all that for all the players, and I’m happy to see all this. We always think about playing for India, and that’s always been our dream.
“So, what really helps you play for India is tournaments like these. As Indians, we always think about playing for India after this because IPL is something that people look at, and selectors are following. So, definitely, it’s a great journey. If we talk about pressure, there is pressure because, as I said, this tournament is such where you have to perform to stay here, and luckily, I’ve been doing that for a while,” he said.
Pandey concluded by acknowledging his pivotal knock in the 2014 final for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) helped him break into the Indian team, where he would play 29 ODIs and 39 T20Is. “This platform has obviously given me the chance to play for India. I still remember after the 2014 final for KKR, that knock was very crucial for me. So, getting those 95 runs in the final was something as good as a life-changing moment for me.
“So, it definitely helped me as a cricketer in that department, and playing for India after that was very, very special as well. So, IPL has been really kind and very good. I’m happy to be part of this, but at the same time, enjoying this game as well.”