IPL 2020: VVS Laxman Backs Manish Pandey To Do Well For Sunrisers Hyderabad

Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) mentor VVS Laxman has backed Manish Pandey to do well in the upcoming season of the Indian Premier League (IPL). The former India batsman stated that the batsman will gain confidence due to his fine performance on the New Zealand tour earlier this year.

Manish Pandey has not really managed to deliver as per expectations for SRH so far. The franchise spent a whopping amount of Rs 11 crore for him before the 2018 season but the right-handed batsman is yet to justify his price tag.

In 2018, he managed to score just 284 runs in 15 matches. In the last season, he improved his stats as he scored 344 runs in 12 games although Sunrisers Hyderabad failed to make it to the final and crashed out at the playoff stage. However, VVS Laxman is confident Manish Pandey will do well this season.

The former India batsman further stated that allrounder Vijay Shankar would be motivated to perform as well before saying that the team’s overseas players like Mohammad Nabi, Mitchell Marsh and Fabian Allen could be unstoppable if they play to their potential.

“Manish Pandey must have grown in confidence after his performance for India, even at No. 6 Vijay Shankar will be motivated to perform. We have overseas players like (Mohammad) Nabi, (Mitchell) Marsh and Fabian Allen, who if they play to their potential can be unstoppable,” he said.

Manish Pandey had a fine last season. He guided Karnataka to Vijay Hazare and Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy before earning a recall from the Indian team. He played in all the three ODIs against Australia in the home series in January and the five T20Is against New Zealand.

While he did not get enough time to prove himself against Australia, he did make a mark against New Zealand. In the fourth T20I, he scored an unbeaten fighting fifty which helped India recover from 88 for 6 and post 165. The Men in Blue had gone on to win the match through super over. He also scored 42 off 48 balls in the only ODI he played on the tour.

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