Manish Pandey: The First Indian to Score a Century in IPL History In the annals of Indian Premier League (IPL) history, few moments are as iconic as the first century by an Indian player. While the IPL itself was launched in 2008, the milestone of an Indian cricketer hitting a century in the tournament was achieved by Gautam Gambhir in 2008. However, Manish Pandey holds a unique place in the IPL narrative as the first Indian to score a century in the tournament after Gambhir, and his innings remains a testament to his extraordinary talent. The 2009 Masterclass: Pandey's IPL Century On April 19, 2009, while representing the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), Manish Pandey delivered a breathtaking performance against the Deccan Chargers in Hyderabad. In a match that would go down in history, Pandey smashed 114 runs off just 73 balls, hitting 10 fours and 4 sixes. His innings was a masterclass in power-hitting, with the RCB skipper Virat Kohli at the non-striker's end, watching in awe as Pandey etched his name into the IPL record books. This innings not only marked Pandey's first IPL century but also solidified his reputation as one of the most explosive batsmen of his era. The 114-run knock remains his highest score in the IPL, a record he still holds. From IPL Stardom to International Debut Pandey's IPL success caught the attention of the national selectors, leading to his debut for Team India in 2015. His performances in the IPL, particularly against Australia in 2014, where he scored a century in a Test match, further cemented his status as a top-order batsman. However, his international career was marred by inconsistent form and frequent drops, which led to his eventual exit from the national team. Despite this, Pandey's IPL legacy remains unshakable.#virat_kohli #royal_challengers_bangalore #ipl #manish_pandey #deccan_chargers
