Manish Pandey reminded IPL followers that class and composure don’t fade with age. Once viewed as one of the league’s brightest young prospects, the 36-year-old played a crucial part in Kolkata Knight Riders’ title run back in 2014, and more than ten years on, he is still capable of shaping pressure matches. In Wednesday’s tense encounter against Mumbai Indians, Pandey produced a calm, 45-run knock and was named Player of the Match for an innings that stabilized KKR when the chase looked in danger.
Sent in after early dismissals had put Kolkata under significant strain, Pandey didn’t try to force the game into a faster gear than the situation demanded. Instead, he tempered the momentum, absorbed the pressure through the middle overs, and made sure the innings didn’t unravel on the scoreboard. His approach relied on steady timing and smart strike rotation—an understated but vital combination in a format where one misjudged over can change the entire complexion of a chase. While many long-serving IPL campaigners have struggled to keep up with the modern emphasis on explosive batting, Pandey’s performance served as a clear message that temperament, awareness, and the ability to play the situation still matter immensely in T20 cricket.
The innings also drew extra attention because veteran India spinner Harbhajan Singh offered a strong endorsement of Pandey’s resurgence. Harbhajan even drew a direct comparison with Virat Kohli while speaking about Pandey’s fitness, longevity, and continued relevance at the top level. The former India captain referenced how the two players began their cricket journeys in similar timeframes and connected Pandey’s role to the same “batch” mindset, as he highlighted the satisfaction of seeing him back among the runs.
“His involvement is exactly like Virat Kohli’s because he is from the same group. You can call it a batch or a gang, it is the same thing. He belongs to that same batch and is just as fit. It felt very good watching him play and he played a very good innings. It is good to see him back playing games, and Manish Pandey has been around since we used to play, maybe even earlier than that. But it is good to see him,” Harbhajan said on Star Sports.
Harbhajan also praised the mindset behind Pandey’s recent impact, stressing that the veteran had not lost confidence in his own abilities. He noted that even after joining the team as a senior player and having to spend time out, Pandey continued to provide belief to the group and demonstrated that he could still deliver when the match called for experience. Harbhajan further pointed to the all-round usefulness Pandey brings—saving runs in the field while also being capable of building innings with the bat.
“He did not lose his belief in himself. He joined the team as a senior player and had to sit out, but he gave confidence to the entire group that there is still a long way to go. Manish Pandey is such a fit player that he saves runs in the fielding, and when it comes to batting, he can score runs for you. It was a very good innings. And Raghuvanshi, their main in-form batter, had to go out today due to a finger injury. So the responsibility came on this player because he is quite senior, and he has done the job very well. I am very happy about it,” he added.
