Who is former Indian cricketer Gyanendra Pandey? Presenting key details
Gyanendra Pandey, a former teammate of Indian cricket legends Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid, is now employed as a PR agent at the State Bank of India (SBI). Despite his promising start in international cricket, Pandey's career was cut short after just two One Day Internationals (ODIs). The left-arm spinner made his debut against Pakistan in 1999 but was soon phased out from the team. Pandey was also the coach of the Uttar Pradesh cricket team.
Pandey's impressive domestic cricket record
Pandey's impressive performance in domestic cricket, where he claimed 254 wickets from 199 games in First-Class and List A cricket, initially caught the attention of selectors. His all-round skills were further highlighted in his Ranji Trophy record of scoring 4,425 runs and taking 148 wickets from 97 matches. Overall, he managed 5,348 runs in First-Class cricket at 36.38. This led to his selection for the national team during the 1999 Pepsi Cup tri-series featuring Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
Pandey's career overshadowed by BCCI official's decision
Pandey had the opportunity to represent India again in a 1999 Test series against New Zealand. However, his selection was reportedly vetoed by Jaywant Lele, the then-BCCI secretary. Lele's preference for Sunil Joshi over Pandey, following Anil Kumble's request for a break, marked a significant setback in Pandey's career. Following this incident, he never returned to international cricket.
Pandey's transition to a new career at SBI
Following his departure from international cricket, Pandey transitioned into a new role as a PR agent at the State Bank of India (SBI). Despite the drastic shift from his cricketing career, he seems content with his current position. He acknowledged that while he and his team often receive jokes about their work, they don't take them seriously.
