From first Indian IPL century to 19th season: Manish Pandey reflects on passion, pressure & memories

Kolkata Knight Riders batsmen Manish Pandey, one of only four players to feature in every edition of the IPL since 2008, says his 19-season journey in the tournament feels like it has gone by in the blink of an eye.

Pandey will represent three-time champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in IPL 2026. He will face five-time champions Mumbai Indians in KKR’s opening match at the Wankhede Stadium.

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Pandey on his IPL journey

In a video released by IPL, Pandey reflected on his long career:

“It’s been a great journey for me – 19 years and 19th year going on right now. Started with MI in the first year after the U19 World Cup. It was a great memory to start with, but honestly, it feels like it has all just passed in a flash, in a moment. So I’ve seen from 2008 to about 2026, this year going on.”

“It’s been a great memory overall in general and happy to be one of those few players who’ve been part of all the IPLs and trying to do justice to myself, to this game. It’s purely here because of the passion and the love for the game.”

First Indian to score IPL century

Pandey became the first Indian to score a century in the IPL in 2009 while playing for Royal Challengers Bengaluru. He looked back at how the tournament has evolved:

“Absolutely. We were just young, 18-19 year olds. Just trying to discover the game, discover yourself. Second season, got a hundred in South Africa in the IPL 2009 for RCB, and it was a great feeling.

“The way the tournament was going for us, I was not expecting that I’d open the inning and get that opportunity to get those runs, which has helped me a lot. But definitely, it was a great memory being the first Indian to get a hundred and the youngest then. But now it’s obviously somebody else has the record.”

“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 that we were discovering. 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.“

How IPL has changed

Pandey noted the massive change in the pace and style of the game:

“For us as players, back then, even a 160 would be a good game and 140 were defended. But now, the pace of the game has changed. It’s a lot faster – so many high-scoring games. The kind of bowlers, the kind of variations that come in, there are too many now.”

“So, it has really evolved and I’m happy to see it being in the center of the whole thing. IPL is one of the main tournaments in world cricket right now.”

He also spoke about the importance of the IPL for Indian players:

“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 is 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.”

Special memory from 2014 final

Pandey signed off by remembering his match-winning knock in the 2014 IPL final for KKR, which helped him break into the Indian team.

“This platform has obviously given me the chance to play for India. I still remember after the 2014 finals for KKR, that knock was very crucial for me as well. So, getting those 95 runs in the finals 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. Happy to be part of this pressure, but at the same time, enjoying this game as well.”

At 36, Manish Pandey remains one of the few players still going strong in his 19th IPL season. His love for the game and calm perspective on pressure make him a respected senior figure in the KKR squad.