Manish Pandey becomes third player to feature in all 19 IPL seasons, joining Kohli and Rohit

Key facts

• Manish Pandey played his 175th IPL match on May 3, 2026, against Sunrisers Hyderabad.
• He is only the third player, after Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, to play at least one game in all 19 IPL seasons.
• Pandey scored the first IPL century by an Indian batter in 2009 while playing for Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
• He has played for seven different IPL franchises: Mumbai Indians, RCB, Pune Warriors India, KKR, SRH, Lucknow Super Giants, and Delhi Capitals.
• Pandey was named Player of the Match in the 2014 IPL final for his knock of 94 runs for KKR.
• Sunil Narine played his 591st T20 match, surpassing Andre Russell's record for most appearances in men's T20s.
• KKR captain Ajinkya Rahane confirmed two changes: Finn Allen replaced Tim Seifert, and Pandey replaced Ramandeep Singh.

A historic milestone in Hyderabad

Manish Pandey walked out to bat for the Kolkata Knight Riders against Sunrisers Hyderabad at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium on Sunday, May 3, 2026, and in doing so became only the third player in Indian Premier League history to feature in all 19 seasons of the tournament. The 36-year-old right-handed batter, playing his first match of the 2026 campaign, joined an elite list that includes Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. Pandey's appearance came after KKR captain Ajinkya Rahane announced two changes to the playing XI: Finn Allen returned in place of Tim Seifert, and Pandey replaced Ramandeep Singh. Rahane said at the toss that the team had planned to bat first, but SRH won the toss and elected to bowl. At the time of writing, SRH had scored 59 runs in five overs for the loss of one wicket, with Kartik Tyagi dismissing Abhishek Sharma early.

Pandey's journey through 19 seasons

Pandey began his IPL career with Mumbai Indians in the inaugural 2008 season, playing three games. He moved to Royal Challengers Bengaluru in 2009, where he scored the first IPL century by an Indian batter. After two seasons at RCB, he joined Pune Warriors India in 2011 and spent three seasons with the now-defunct franchise. In 2014, Pandey joined Kolkata Knight Riders and enjoyed his most successful stint, playing 55 matches over four seasons and winning the IPL title in 2014. He was named Player of the Match in the final for his 94-run knock. He later played for Sunrisers Hyderabad from 2018 to 2021, followed by one-year stints with Lucknow Super Giants in 2022 and Delhi Capitals in 2023. Pandey returned to KKR in 2024, playing just one game in their trophy-winning campaign, and featured three times in 2025 before his first appearance this season.

A rare record ahead of Dhoni

Pandey achieved the milestone of playing at least one match in all 19 IPL seasons before MS Dhoni, the league's most capped player with 278 appearances. Dhoni has been sidelined from IPL 2026 with a calf strain and is expected to return to the Chennai Super Kings lineup later in the season. If he does, he will become the fourth player to achieve the feat. Pandey's 175th IPL match brought his career runs to 3,942 at an average of 29.41. Despite his longevity, he ranks 20th on the list of most appearances in the league, underscoring the depth of competition in the IPL.

Sunil Narine surpasses Andre Russell in T20 appearances

Alongside Pandey's milestone, KKR's West Indian spinner Sunil Narine reached a personal landmark. The 37-year-old played his 591st T20 match, surpassing Andre Russell's record for most appearances in men's T20s. Only Kieron Pollard has played more T20 matches than Narine. Narine's achievement adds to a memorable day for KKR, who entered the match on a two-match winning streak. Rahane said the team was confident of extending their run, noting that breaks in the schedule had helped them regroup and focus on improvement.

What lies ahead for Pandey and KKR

Pandey's return to the playing XI after eight games on the bench raises questions about his role in the remainder of the season. He was nearly called upon in KKR's previous match against Lucknow Super Giants when the team suffered a collapse, but Rinku Singh's exceptional knock made his services unnecessary. For KKR, the match against SRH is a test of their momentum. With two consecutive wins, they aim to solidify their position in the points table. Pandey's experience and ability to anchor an innings could prove valuable as the tournament progresses.

The bottom line

• Manish Pandey is the third player to play in all 19 IPL seasons, after Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma.
• He achieved the milestone ahead of MS Dhoni, who is injured and yet to play in IPL 2026.
• Pandey has played for seven different franchises and scored the first IPL century by an Indian batter.
• Sunil Narine surpassed Andre Russell for the second-most T20 appearances, behind only Kieron Pollard.
• KKR made two changes for the match, bringing in Pandey and Finn Allen, and entered on a two-game winning streak.