Playing every single IPL season since 2008 is seriously special. Manish Pandey has witnessed the entire league’s evolution firsthand right from the beginning. The Karnataka middle-order batter remains one of IPL’s most consistent veterans still playing.
He scored the first-ever IPL century by an Indian batsman back in 2015. That 114* against Delhi Daredevils created IPL history that nobody can ever erase. Now he’s continuing his remarkable journey into yet another season.
His IPL Team for 2026
Kolkata Knight Riders signed Manish Pandey ahead of the 2025 season originally. The IPL Team retained him for this campaign at unchanged salary levels. His experience adds crucial middle-order depth to their batting lineup consistently.
He previously won the IPL 2016 title with Sunrisers Hyderabad. The IPL Team gets a proven champion who knows winning formulas intimately. His calm temperament during pressure situations makes him genuinely valuable.
His classical batting technique suits T20 cricket better than people realize honestly. The Team uses him as a reliable option when early wickets fall. Manish Pandey can anchor innings or accelerate based on match situations smartly.
His IPL Price Details
His IPL Price for 2026 stands at ₹75 Lakh unchanged currently. That’s a modest salary for someone with his massive IPL experience! This reflects his twilight career stage rather than his historical contributions.
The salary stayed consistent from his 2025 contract without changes. Veterans offering squad depth rarely see cost increases at this stage. This represents outstanding value for experienced middle-order batting options available.
Compare his amount to younger uncapped players earning similar amounts recently though. Manish Pandey’s championship pedigree makes him undervalued at this salary level. The Price offers excellent backup batting security for his franchise basically.
Career Journey and Playing Style
Manish Pandey started domestic cricket representing Karnataka in multiple formats. His first-class debut saw him score a century immediately! That early success predicted the long IPL career that followed.
He made history scoring the first Indian IPL century in 2015. Then helped Sunrisers win the 2016 title as a key middle-order contributor. His maiden ODI century of 104* against New Zealand came in 2016 too.
His right-handed elegant batting anchors innings beautifully when teams need stability. He enters this season as an experienced backup option for the middle order. Expect him to deliver steady contributions when opportunities arise during the season.
