A lackluster gem in a treasure - Decoding Manish Pandey's downfall from pseudo-grace
Manish Pandey has been in and out of the Indian team for as long as one can remember. Captaincy changed, coaches changed, the game evolved, but Pandey's fate has remained the same.
The fingers might be pointed to both sides of the coin. Did the player not do enough to maintain or fight for his place or did the management not award enough opportunities? This is not a question that time will answer.
A hundred in a nerve-wracking run chase under the lights in Sydney is often what a budding player looks for in a stepping stone to make a transition.
Instead of a transition, that moment ended up being the peak in what was touted as a promising career. While the knock benefitted him in terms of other areas, it could have been so much more. Sporadic chances, inconsistency, and random injuries have gone onto comprise Manish Pandey's career in a nutshell.
A trip to Sri Lanka, with his experience shining out in the pack, was exactly what Pandey needed. A decent set of outings against lackluster bowling might have been the possible catalyst in question, despite the limited availability of the slots in the regular playing eleven.
Scores of 26, 37, and 11 followed amid a barrage of criticism and questions. The reaction after his third ODI tells the whole story. Yes, the team were in disarray, and yes, the dismissal was a cheap one, but there was one added element in it as well - was that the last ODI innings Manish Pandey played?
As fate would have it, the one innings he looked in rhythm during the entire series, he was presented with the unluckiest dismissals of them all.
The growing emergence of Suryakumar Yadav, Shreyas Iyer's return from injury, and the ever-improving Rishabh Pant, all stake claim in the Indian middle-order for the foreseeable future; leaving behind Manish Pandey with a puff of dust.
Pandey arrived on the scene with a big reputation having been a member of the 2008 U-19 World Cup. After aceing his debut assignment with flying colors, he was expected to be groomed and eventually be a part of the Indian team.
His teammates from the 2008 triumph went on to embed themselves in the unit, but he was left behind like a fallen gem of a treasure carried off.
Pandey's T20 ventures hang by a thread
He continued to ply his trades in the IPL and make a mark here and there. From garnering the reputation of being a mainstay in the middle overs, he was blamed for losing the side's momentum with his passive method of playing.
The art of slogging is something that his peers have mastered to perfection, and arguably might be an area where Pandey lies far behind. But that somewhat does not answer his ODI troubles.
The most drastic of slopes might have come with his maiden season for Sunrisers Hyderabad. Coming with a heavy price tag, he struggled with his new franchise.
While the batsman upped his game, he was right back where he started and was benched after a few games in the 2021 IPL.
Pandey's crisis has gone on to become so dire that even a solid second-half campaign won't suffice for a place in the World Cup squad.
What lies ahead for Pandey?
His most recent set of failures comes with its own set of questions. Is it due to a lack of chances? Is there something drastically wrong with his technique or mindset? And most importantly; can he overturn his fortune?
While an appearance in whites did not come knocking for the talented player, the most likely direction that Pandey could go in is for a total overhaul and revamp.
This would be much like the method employed by Dinesh Karthik under Abhishek Nayar. The wicket-keeper batsman came through as a changed batsman specializing in T20 cricket, something which had earned Pandey a place in the national team as well.
The current Indian pool of players are as talented as any, shining through their exploits, leaving Pandey behind with only a 'What If?'