IPL 2026: Manish Pandey joins Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma in Elite List; MS Dhoni may be Next

Manish Pandey quietly entered IPL history on Sunday, matching Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma for longevity. By turning out for Kolkata Knight Riders against Sunrisers Hyderabad in the 2026 season, the 36-year-old became only the third player to appear in at least one match across all 19 IPL editions.

This latest outing also came before MS Dhoni could feature in the 2026 IPL. The former Chennai Super Kings captain is recovering from a calf strain and has not yet played this season. Pandey, meanwhile, has stayed connected to some franchise every year since the league began in 2008.

Manish Pandey's longevity record

Pandey’s long association with the IPL includes one of its most significant batting milestones. He was the first Indian to hit a century in the tournament, scoring 114 from 73 balls for Royal Challengers Bengaluru against Deccan Chargers in 2009. That innings underlined Pandey’s early promise in the shortest format.

Across 174 IPL matches so far, Pandey has scored 3942 runs at an average of 29.42. The batter has represented several teams over the years, including KKR, RCB, Lucknow Super Giants, Sunrisers Hyderabad, Mumbai Indians and Delhi Capitals. Many fans still recall the match-winning knock in the 2014 final for KKR.

MS Dhoni may join List

MS Dhoni may also join the list if he plays in this IPL 2026 season. The CSK star hasn't played a match so far with a hamstring strain, but if he plays, the Super Kings star will also make the list.

The match against SRH carries extra weight for KKR given the points table. The side sit eighth with seven points from eight games before this fixture. With the league stage moving towards its second half, every result now shapes the playoff race, placing more attention on experienced players like Pandey.