Manish Pandey, one of the best finds of Indian Premier League (IPL) over the course of the tournament’s history has been sold to Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the 2018 edition of the IPL auctions which are being currently held in Bangalore. KOlkata Knight Riders had the chance to retain him, but they did not. Chennai Super Kings made the first bid for his base price of Rs 1 crore and then Kings XI Punjab, Sunrisers Hyderabad, Royal Challengrs Bangalore and Mumbai Indians joined them. Pandey will add much-needed solidity to the middle-order and can also play some swashbuckling innings if and when the situation commands it. He is also very flexible in his batting position and can bat anywhere from No.3 to No.7 and can also open the batting if needed.
Previous record in the IPL
He had a good season in 2017 with the Kolkata Knight Riders scoring 396 runs in 14 matches at a very good average of 49.50. His highest score was an unbeaten 81 and his runs came at a strike-rate of 128.57. In his overall career in the IPL, Pandey has scored 2215 runs in 103 matches at an average of 28.39 and a strike rate of 120.11. He has one century and 9 50’s to his name and his highest score is 114*.
Apart from the Kolkata Knight Riders, Manish Pandey has also turned out for Royal Challengers Bangalore in his career. Being one of the most talented Indian batsmen currently, there will be huge pressure on Manish Pandey to deliver in the 2018 edition of the IPL.