Manish Pandey's return to Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) has ignited a debate among fans, with many questioning the team's selection strategy and whether it prioritises experience over nurturing young talent in IPL 2026.
On a tense night when KKR's season was hanging in the balance, Manish Pandey answered every critic in the best possible way -- a man-of-the match performance in a must-win clash against Mumbai Indians.
India coach Anil Kumble has hinted that the number four spot in the batting line-up could go to Manish Pandey, who has performed really well with the bat in recent times.
Sehwag felt Pandey was well settled, but couldn't find the right ball to hit.
Before going into the match, he was nine-run short of the milestone figure. He got to the landmark with a half-century (54 including three sixes and two fours).
Cricketer Manish Pandey tied the knot with actor Ashrita Shetty. Take a look at all the stunning looks from their wedding.
Manish Pandey is feeling the pressure of holding on to his spot in the Indian ODI team and says the only way he can beat stiff competition is by scoring tons of runs.
Assigned to open the innings for Royal Challengers Bangalore, the 19-year-old grabbed the opportunity with both hands as he smashed 114, which also made him the first Indian to hit a century in the IPL.
'Batting at No 4 is my forte'
After becoming the first Indian batsman to slam a century in the IPL, Manish Pandey is convinced that he is made to fire with bat in cricket fields than firing bullets in the battlefield.
A summary of the first day's play in the Ranji Trophy Elite division matches, on Thursday.
It all started in Zimbabwe for Manish Pandey and the stylish batsman is back in the African nation with an aim to establish himself in India's limited overs set up during the ODI and T20 series starting on Saturday. Pandey is set to play the first ODI on Saturday at the Harare Sports Club, a venue where he made his India debut in July last year. After making 71 in his debut innings, he went on to play three ODIs in Australia including the one at Sydney where he scored a match-winning 104 to guide India to their sole win of the five-match series. Ahead of the three-match ODI series here, Pandey recalled the time last year when he realised his dream.
Middle-order batsman Manish Pandey's fine century could go in vain, as hosts Saurashtra took the vital first innings lead against Karnataka on the third day of the Ranji Trophy quarter-final in Rajkot, on Tuesday. Saurashtra, dismissed for 469 in the first innings, took a crucial 73-run lead after restricting Karnataka to 396, on the third day of the five-day encounter.
Manish Pandey got married to Tamil actress Ashrita Shetty in Mumbai on Monday
A summary of the second day's play in the Elite Division matches of the Ranji Trophy, on Friday.
India A skipper Manish Pandey has been fined 25 percent of his match fee for breaching the ICC Code of Conduct during his side's 86-run win over the National Performance Squad in Townhill, Queensland, Australia.
India discard Robin Uthappa, who captained Karnataka in the Ranji Trophy final against Mumbai, looks back on the match and his own form this season.
Manish Pandey says his maiden ODI call-up was long overdue and he now hopes to make his much awaited India debut during the short tour of Zimbabwe next month.
Manish Pandey continued his good form in the limited-overs' format, scoring an unbeaten 99 as defending champions Karnataka beat Mumbai by four wickets to enter the semi-finals of the National One-Day Championship, for the Vijay Hazare Trophy, in Vadodara, on Friday.
Glad to have made it count after getting the 'lucky' break in India's One-day team, batsman Manish Pandey said receiving his international cap from senior off-spinner Harbhajan Singh is a moment he will cherish for the rest of his life.
Kolkata Knight Riders kept their playoff hopes alive by defeating Mumbai Indians by four wickets in a rain-affected IPL match on Wednesday.
With the ODI series in the pocket, India now have plenty of room to experiment with their team combinations. Should Lokesh Rahul be included in place of the struggling Manish Pandey for the 4th ODI?
Two individuals have died and 19 others have been hospitalised in Gujarat's Bhavnagar district after consuming spurious liquor. Authorities have detained four bootleggers and are investigating the source of the duplicate Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) bottles, which are believed to have originated from Madhya Pradesh. Gujarat is a dry state where alcohol is banned.
He started his career as an equally talented U-19 cricketer like his illustrious peer Virat Kohli but Manish Pandey believes his former India colts colleague "fully deserved to play for the country" ahead of him.
Mention his name and the first impression that comes to mind is that of an attacking batsman. His success in the Indian Premier League further bolsters the belief. Manish Pandey ensured his name in the history books when he became the first Indian batsman to score a century in the IPL -- when he made an unbeaten 114 for Royal Challengers Bangalore (he has since moved to Pune Warriors) against Deccan Chargers.
Seven people have died and 30 others are hospitalised in Gujarat's Bhavnagar district after consuming spurious liquor. Police have detained 12 bootleggers and registered an FIR against 21 individuals. The victims reportedly consumed illicit liquor from duplicate bottles of an IMFL brand, with preliminary investigations suggesting the supply originated from Madhya Pradesh.
Manish Pandey believes a coming-of-age performance in Australia has provided a boost to his international career and he hopes to build on the exploits Down Under in the upcoming three-match T20 series against Sri Lanka. Some thought Pandey will stay on with team for the T20s after hitting an unbeaten 104 in the fifth and final ODI at the Sydney Cricket Ground, giving India their first win of the tour. That did not happen but he has been rewarded with a T20 call-up for the upcoming Sri Lanka series that is regarded as a rehearsal for the ICC World T20 to held in March in India. "Getting a hundred at the international level is always a big achievement and it was my first one. So somewhere I have an idea (of what I have done). "Looking at the bigger picture, I would say it is a very good start to my international career," Pandey told PTI.
'What's next for me would be global expansion, which is challenging and exciting.'
The Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra trust has shortlisted 18 candidates for the Chief Executive Officer position from over 5,300 applicants. Interviews are scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday, with the CEO's role focusing on temple administration and management. The selection follows allegations of embezzlement of temple donations, which led to an SIT probe and arrests.
A recap of the action of the eighth week of IPL 2026.
The Ayodhya Police are intensifying their investigation into the alleged embezzlement of donations at the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple, preparing to seek custodial remand for three more accused. A Special Investigation Team's preliminary report found prima facie evidence of theft and pilferage during donation counting, with CCTV footage showing personnel concealing cash.
The Ayodhya Police are intensifying their investigation into the alleged embezzlement of donations at the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple, preparing to seek custodial remand for three more accused. A Special Investigation Team's preliminary report found prima facie evidence of theft and pilferage during donation counting, with CCTV footage showing personnel concealing cash.
A preliminary report by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) has identified Avinash Shukla as the prime accused in the alleged theft of devotees' offerings at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, linking him to a suspected 40-day racket involving nearly 70 instances of pilferage from the donation-counting system.
The Ayodhya Development Authority (ADA) has granted Supriya Mishra, wife of Luv Kush Mishra, who is accused in the Ram temple donation case, an additional week to provide documents for a house in her name that is under construction in Ayodhya's Saadatganj area, the police said.
Kolkata Knight Riders assistant coach Shane Watson has praised Varun Chakravarthy for his commitment to the team, playing through a hairline fracture in his left foot to contribute to KKR's IPL playoff push. Despite the injury, Chakravarthy has shown resilience and determination, earning accolades from Watson and highlighting his importance to the squad.
Police investigating the alleged embezzlement of donations at the Ram temple in Ayodhya have requested seven-day custody for two jailed accused, Ram Shankar Yadav and Subhash Srivastava. This request follows new disclosures that necessitate further verification and recovery of evidence. The court is set to hear the remand application on July 14, as investigators scrutinise financial transactions and property purchases to trace the diverted funds.
The Ram Temple trust in Ayodhya has implemented a new, two-shift system for counting cash donations, overseen by the State Bank of India (SBI), following an embezzlement scandal. A new team, including ex-servicemen and supervisors, has been deployed to enhance security and transparency in the process, aiming to prevent future theft and restore public trust.
KKR will face Royal Challengers Bengaluru in a must-win match on Saturday to keep their playoffs hopes alive.
The police sealed the room in the rented house of the accused. The police have taken the DVR of the CCTV camera installed at Mishra's rented house into their custody, official sources said.
Since the inaugural edition of IPL in 2008, only four cricketers have played a match in all 18 IPL seasons.
