Best known for being the first Indian to score a hundred in the Indian Premier League (IPL), Manish Krishnanand Pandey has been instrumental in getting those big runs for Karnataka in the Ranji Trophy this season. With two hundreds and a couple of fifties, this 24-year-old has along with compatriot Lokesh Rahul has steered Karnataka to the top of Group A, which boasts of bigger teams like Mumbai and Delhi.
Speaking on the sidelines of a promotional event here, Pandey said that the current squad desperately hoped to end Karnataka’s Ranji Trophy drought. “It’s been 14 years since we won Ranji and it’s high time we did something about it. We have been doing well this year as a unit, the batsmen have been in form while the bowlers are doing their job. Everyone’s been on their toes. We have a young squad and have learnt from our mistakes,” he said.
Karnataka last won the Ranji Trophy in 1998-99 and the closest they have come to winning it was in the 2009-10 season, when they lost to Mumbai by a mere six runs in the final. “I have been playing Ranji for the last 5 years. We lost to Mumbai by six runs and I missed on my 150 by six runs. That’s the closest we came to winning the trophy. It’s one of my best knocks ever but also disappointing that I could not take my team through then.”
Pandey hopes to change the fortune in his team’s favour this time around and feels a few more good knocks would take him closer to making the India squad. “This season, I have already scored two hundreds and both have come on green wickets, which have been bowler friendly. It has given me a lot of confidence. I have a feeling that this year we will go all the way. I need to work harder to make the India squad. I can’t take anything for granted. Two to three bigger and better performances would help me get closer,” he added. Karnataka next play Mumbai in Bangalore on December 22.
The right-hander, who has been part of Pune Warriors since 2011, hopes to return to his former team Royal Challengers Bangalore now that the Pune outfit has been scrapped from the IPL.
“The Pune Warriors team is not there in the IPL. The new rule is that a lot of players will be going under the hammer in the auction. My heart is at my home, so I would definitely want to play for my home team RCB. Let’s see how it goes.” On the prospect of playing alongside Chris Gayle, Pandey added: “To play with Gayle is a big thing. It will be a good competition and I would get to learn about his batting technique and mindset.”
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cricket> News / by Krithika Gopalkrishnan / ENS – Chennai / December 20th, 2013