Manish Pandey will always be remembered as the first Indian to score a century in the IPL. In one night, the 19-year-old went from being Karnataka's next big Ranji hope to entering the record books as he hit his way to the highest Twenty20 score by an Indian. That century also probably meant he wouldn't have to carry out his intention of following his father into the army if he didn't make it as a professional cricketer. His batting anyway is not built on military discipline; Pandey has always been a free-scoring aggressive middle-order batsman and an athletic fielder.

His trademark half-sweep-half-flick - where he shapes to go for the sweep but just stretches towards the ball and flicks it, mostly towards midwicket - was quite the talk of the junior circles in Bangalore. That shot was on ample display when he scored two half-centuries in his first two Ranji Trophy matches, in the 2008-09 season. He came to Bangalore when he was 15 and stayed back when his father was transferred to Rajasthan three years later.

In those three years Pandey came to be well-regarded in the KSCA league, represented Karnataka at the Under-17 and Under-19 levels, and was always marked for a Ranji cap. He also represented India in the U-19 World Cup in 2008, though he didn't get many chances in that winning side.
Cricinfo staff May 2009