High on runs ’n’ hope
The Hindu : There is an air of nonchalance to Manish Pandey. And typical of adolescents, he has a wandering mind.When asked about his favourite batsmen, the 18-year old’s answers have often swapped ‘Ricky Ponting’ for ‘Kevin Pietersen’. He may be a bit confused about his batting idol but when it comes to his own batting, he is crystal clear. “I am an orthodox batsman who prefers to settle down initially. I like to get those singles and then play my shots. But yes if the situation demands I can play big shots as well,” Manish says.It is this clarity in approach backed by consistent batting exploits that has propelled him as the lone Karnataka player in the India under-19 squad currently touring Malaysia for the Under-19 World Cup. “I am excited to be part of the World Cup squad and I am looking forward to making the most of this opportunity,” Manish says. Manish recently trained at the National Cricket Academy with the rest of the squad under the watchful eyes of coach Dav Whatmore.The young lad’s story has been a tale of constant travel and consistent runs. Born in Nainital, Manish has often moved places thanks to a father who is an army officer. “My father used to get transferred and the family used to move with him. I came to Bangalore three years ago when he was transferred here from Nasik,” Manish says adding: “He is now posted in Rajasthan but I decided to stay on in Bangalore. This is the place where my career got a boost so I thought of pursuing my cricket based from here. Earlier I have played in Nasik and was even part of Maharashtra’s under-14 probables list.”Rapid stridesManish’s rapid strides in cricket were initially etched in the KSCA league matches. In his first year in Bangalore, Manish played for Friends Cricket Club in the fourth division league. Later he…More
