Manish Pandey

The popularity of cricket was proven once again recently as young sportstars, Manish Pandey and Virat Kohli, walked into a brand showroom at a City mall at Bangalore The shutterbugs had a field day as the two young players, who shot to fame after their brilliant performances in the IPL, flashed their smiles and patiently answered everyone’s questions. Metrolife chatted with the two men from the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), who looked striking in their immaculate suits and striped shirts.

He may be Indian cricket’s next shining star, but it shouldn’t be forgotten that Manish Pandey won’t turn 20 till September. The first person he called after the stunning century against the Deccan Chargers at Centurion on 21 May was his mother. Echoes there of the legendary American diver, Greg Louganis, who once said, “Whether I win or whether I lose, my mom will still love me.” Ray Jennings, the coach of Royal Challengers Bangalore, says “Manny’s like a son to me”. Pandey’s father, an army man with roots in Uttarakhand always reminds him that “money will come” and that he should never play with rewards in mind.