5 potential power-hitters for India in T20 cricket

Manish Pandey

Manish Pandey became an overnight star when he hit an unbeaten century (104*) to win India an ODI

Manish Pandey can be hailed as India’s best bet at the moment, as far as limited-overs cricket is concerned. 141 T20 matches, out of which only 6 have been T20 internationals, speak of two things. One, that the 26-year-old Karnataka batsman has been good enough to last that long without being given a long rope in the internationals, and two, which a corollary arising out of the first, that he hasn’t been given opportunities.

2950 T20 runs at 25.90 with 1 hundred and 13 fifties abundantly elucidate his skills with the bat in the shortest format of the game, and 1819 IPL runs from 89 games add another feather to his cap. Having made IPL debut in 2008 – the inaugural season – Pandey has been a mainstay for several IPL teams, the most noticeable of which have been the Royal Challengers Bangalore and the Kolkata Knight Riders.

A first-class average of 50.37 and over 5000 first class runs qualify him as a prolific run-scorer as well, and with a tinge of modernity added to his cricketing acumen, this right-handed batsman can really be a permanent member of the Indian limited-overs setup. It must not be forgotten that he has already won India an ODI in Australia wherein he had hit is maiden ODI hundred.