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Basking in glory
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Manish Pandey was the boy next door till he recently scored a sensational century in the IPL
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Need for speed Manish Pandey loves fast cars and faster bikes
A month ago, Manish Pandey was the quintessential next-door lad nursing cricketing dreams and hanging out with pals at coffee shops.
His world has now turned upside down thanks to a sensational century he scored for Royal Challengers Bangalore against Deccan Chargers in the recent DLF Indian Premier League in South Africa. He cannot go to a coffee shop without getting mobbed, while autograph books are thrust into his hands and fans swarm around, amidst clicking cameras.
The euphoria is understandable as Manish seems to have finally melded his talent with performance and higher glory beckons. But the boy-next-door persona still bubbles under the surface.
“I am conscious of the many eyes on me when I am in public places. For my family – mom, dad and sister – I am the same. Within my group of friends, some of them treat me the same way while I have noticed a change in others. They seem to talk less and watch me more!” Manish says.
Staying grounded
His father Krishnanand Pandey, a lieutenant colonel in the Army, is at Gandhidham. Manish stays with his mom Tara and sister Anita.
But even in an environment of familiarity, the long arm of stardom tugs at him.
A security guard scampers nearby, whispering, “Will Manish pose for a picture with me?” And then the man, who prepares the cricket pitch at the RSI Ground, stays at a distance despite his “I-have-seen-this-boy-grow-up” attitude. Acquaintances either display a sense of over-familiarity or switch into a sudden-distance mode when Manish walks around.
“When I was playing for India under-19 and Karnataka, people said ‘wait for the opportunity’. Now after that century in South Africa, everyone says ‘stay grounded’.” So is he grounded or will he defy Newton’s law of gravity? “Oh, I am grounded. I am the same,” Manish mumbles.
He still remains the 19-year-old who loves fast bikes and faster cars. “I love the Audi R8 and would love to have that car one day. As for bikes I am eyeing the Yamaha R6,” Manish says, while currently dividing his loyalties between a 200cc Pulsar bike and a Honda Civic, which he test-drives before signing up the cheque.
The road ahead? “I dream about playing for India,” Manish says.
K.C. VIJAYAKUMAR
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