Gritty Manish Pandey has come of age for India in T20Is

India’s form has been on the up in limited overs cricket, and the Asian powerhouse can claim they have cracked the code with the set of players at their disposal. The impact in T20Is is similar to that of ODIs and the overall bunch, even those on the waiting list, have taken their chances to show the strength the national team possesses at the moment.

In the overall picture, there is one player that has been a revelation since his entry into the shortest format of the game for the national team. Manish Pandey hasn’t thrown the chances away. He has been patient and kept digging in with a passion for making the opportunities count. Since the start of 2017, Pandey got a run of games and since then never looked back.

A busy player with a wide range of shots in his array, Pandey has been the insurance factor for India in batting sensibly. A lot like Mahendra Singh Dhoni in this matter. His knack of holding that middle-order and playing according to the situation has been the limelight in his short career so far.

In the ongoing 2018 Nidahas Trophy T20I tri-series, Pandey has been a prime factor for the Rohit Sharma-led side and has kept that finesse touch alive. His attitude has been very positive, who knows how to come hard at the opposition and has been someone with a keen understanding of the situation.

Pandey has transformed himself into a consistent entity

A lot of credit should be given to Gautam Gambhir for giving the license to Pandey to play freely over the years for Kolkata Knight Riders. A trait of batting according to the situation is something he bettered while representing the Eastern giants in the Indian Premier League.

That, in turn, has seen the player settling down in the middle-order in the last few years. After initially lighting up the IPL for Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2009, with an aggressive 114*, a raw Pandey did not quite so much post that. After joining the Knights in 2014, his temperament changed.

2017 was a stellar year for Pandey, who bagged 396 runs for KKR at an average of 49.50. He also made sure that he upped the ante in the national colors. Being an exceptional fielder, the boxes quite ticked as the management showed faith in him.

A real force for India in limited overs

The growth in his game has come after being with the Indian team for quite some time now. In 2018, he has bettered himself and a fear factor came calling out. The T20I series against South Africa was a game changer for the Karnataka batsman. A career best of 79* at Centurion was a splendid affair as he showed that he can get the team surging ahead batting till the end.

121 runs in three matches followed by another 108 in the ongoing Nidahas Trophy has tilted the favor in his side. He has become a force in this team, who can play a decent finishing role. The unbeaten 47 against Sri Lanka during India’s chase on Monday, gave an identification of just that.

What he brings to the side with ICC 2019 WC and World T20 at an offer

Pandey has been in the ODI set up too since 2016 but he hasn’t quite found the run of games. He announced himself with a  brilliant 104* at Sydney in January 2016, but post that did not quite go on to get the desired scores and opportunities especially after coming lower down the order on most occasions.

But with him being there as a back-up, the management has somewhat given an indication that he could be on the flight to England for the upcoming ICC 2019 World Cup. With the stability he brings, he has virtually assured his berth for the World Twenty20 in 2020. With some valuable knocks in the coming time, he can earn the right to have a decent crack.

How crucial is his presence for SRH in IPL 2018 as he could be an instant hit

Sunrisers Hyderabad purchasing Pandey for a whopping Rs 11 crore sent the signal straight. The David Warner-led side wanted a proven middle-order star to help them play long and make his stay at the crease count. Sunrisers have missed someone like a Pandey in their line-up over time, with a bulk of the workload on Warner’s shoulders atop.

Now with Pandey in the team, who has been very consistent for KKR with 1442 runs in four seasons, he could have an instant impact for SRH. The form he has been enjoying could transform ‘The Orange Army’ and their quest for a second title under Warner.