Kolkata Knight Riders player Manish Pandey (PTI Photo/Kunal Patil) India batsman Manish Pandey, one of only four players to feature in every edition of the Indian Premier League since its inception in 2008, describes his 19-year IPL journey as “flying by like lightning”.Pandey will don the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) jersey in IPL 2026 as the three-time champions face five-time champions Mumbai Indians (MI) at the Wankhede Stadium. In 174 IPL matches, Pandey scored 3,942 runs at a strike rate of 121.52.
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Greenstone Lobo predicts IPL 2026 winner “It’s been an incredible journey for me – 19 years and now I’m going into my 19th season. I started with MI the very first year after the U19 World Cup. It’s been a special memory, but honestly, it all seems to have gone by in a flash. From 2008 to now, 2026, it’s been a lot,” Pandey I said in a video released by Pandey on Sunday.He added, “Overall it has been a fantastic experience. I am happy to be among the few players who have been a part of every IPL and I always try to do justice to myself and the game. I am here purely for the passion and love of cricket.”Reflecting on his landmark century for Royal Challengers Bengaluru in 2009, Pandey said: “Absolutely. We were just young, 18-19 years old, discovering the game and discovering ourselves. I scored a hundred for RCB in South Africa in my second season and it was amazing. I didn’t expect to open the innings to score first and when I was first he helped me to be very young. at that time it’s great memory, even if someone else now holds the record.’Commenting on the growth of the IPL, Pandey said, “This tournament has taught us so much. Back then we still understood the dynamics. In 19 years, the IPL has evolved massively – for players, sponsors and fans. The joy it has brought to so many people is unbelievable. Now it is one of the biggest platforms for young talent to shine.”Pandey also spoke about how the game itself has changed: “Back then 160 was a pretty good number and 140 was defendable. Now everything is faster, with high-scoring games and new bowling variations. The IPL is now at the center of world cricket, testing players who have been around for a year or more. It’s made the game bigger and helped cricket grow.”He added: “We always dream of playing for India and tournaments like the IPL are key. The selectors keep a close eye on them and performing here is the key to stay in the game. I was lucky enough to do it over time.”Pandey concluded by recalling his crucial knock in the 2014 KKR final: “That innings of 95 in the final changed my life. It helped me break into the Indian team where I played 29 ODIs and 39 T20Is. The IPL has been very kind to me, it gave me a chance to handle the pressure and enjoy the game at the same time.”
