IPL 2023: 3 Players Who Can Play the Role of Manish Pandey In LSG Squad

IPL 2023: Manish Pandey has been a seasoned performer for different teams he has been part of. The Karnataka-based cricketer has featured in 160 IPL matches in which he has scored 3648 runs at a strike rate of 121.52. The 33-year-old batter is a valuable asset for any team, especially at number 3 or even at 4.

Pandey was an integral part of KKR’s title-winning sojourn in 2014. He played a crucial role in the final and was awarded the player of the match award for his brilliant knock of 94 in just 50 deliveries. Post KKR, Pandey had plied for Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG). He failed to leave an impression on the new LSG franchise in IPL 2022 and was subsequently released by them.

Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) secured him for IPL 2022 but he failed to play the role of the number three batter. He was eventually dropped from the side, scoring only 88 runs in six matches at a modest strike rate of 110. The struggle was real for Pandey.

Pandey has plenty of experience, and he is known for his calmness and composure. With his immense experience, he can be the perfect player to have in the team in the middle-order. Adding to all this, he’s a gun fielder. LSG could’ve given him another shot in the upcoming season but that didn’t happen. Let’s see who can play Pandey’s role in the LSG squad.

3 Players Who Can Play the Role of Manish Pandey In LSG Squad in IPL 2023

3) Nicholas Pooran

LSG paid INR 16 crore at IPL 2023 mini-auction to acquire the services of Pooran. The Caribbean wicketkeeper batter was part of SRH in 2022, and he had a good season with the bat, scoring 306 runs in 14 matches at an average of 38.25. However, the SRH management wasn’t very satisfied with his returns which paved the way for his exit from the team ahead of the 2023 auctions. One of the cleanest hitters of the ball in the shortest format of the game, Pooran is a versatile batter who can bat at any number. His flexibility can work in the favor of LSG’s star-studded batting line-up.

Pooran is one of the top power hitters in the IPL. He is capable of smashing boundaries and maximums with utmost ease and the amount of power that he generates from his willow is surreal. At times, Pooran has shown that he has got different gears to his game and he can play according to the situation. In 47 IPL games, Pooran has scored 912 runs at a brilliant strike rate of 151.24 including four fifties.

2) Ayush Badoni

A talented young batsman from Delhi, Badoni rose to fame quickly and made a name for himself in domestic cricket. After being picked by Lucknow, Badoni had shown glimpses of his talent and was perhaps one of many bright spots for LSG. He is considered to be a great find by many cricket pundits. The LSG batter featured in 13 IPL matches and smashed 161 runs at a strike rate of 123.85, which includes a brilliant half-century against Gujarat Titans. He averaged just 20 last season but made some useful contributions down the order with his classy power-hitting skills.

LSG will surely look to give him a more responsible role this season. Badoni is an emerging talent who deserves to play bat in the top four. Last year, he mostly batted at number five or six for the Super Giants, but this time around, he can get a longer run at number four. Pandey’s exit has cleared the path for the young batter to take up that number three slot and get a few big innings for his team.

1) Deepak Hooda

Batting at number three or four in the middle order, the all-rounder scored 451 runs in 15 matches, at a strike rate of 136.67. A naturally aggressive batter, Hooda played many brutal innings and powered his team to good totals. Without a shadow of a doubt, the 2022 season of the IPL was the breakthrough season for the right-hander as he piled up runs and also was decent with the ball. He produced some heroic performances throughout the tournament. Apart from his contributions with the bat, he was effective with the ball in hand as well and will be expected to do more of the same for his franchise in the upcoming season.

He is predominantly a batter but has the ability to pick up wickets with his right-arm off-spin. With Pandey playing at 3 in some games, Hooda was forced to bat down the order for the first few games last season but was later promoted to number 3 and he did wonders for the side at that position. It is expected that he will continue batting at the top this time around with not many contenders to compete with him for that position. Hooda loves batting at the top and he has shown that for India in international cricket last year.