Ahmedabad, April 20 (IANS) A new name has entered the spotlight for the five-time champions Mumbai Indians (MI) as 21-year-old batter Danish Malewar made his debut in the Indian Premier League (IPL) against Gujarat Titans (GT) at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Monday.

The Vidarbha batter was expected to come in place of Rohit Sharma in MI’s previous match against Punjab Kings at the Wankhede Stadium last Thursday. But the team management decided to go ahead with the South African duo of Ryan Rickelton and Quinton de Kock.

However, Malewar, who came as an opener on Monday, failed to make an impact on debut as he struggled from the onset and got out against Kagiso Rabada after scoring just two runs in four balls in his debut innings. However, the youngster would be looking to do much better if he got more chances.

Born on October 8, 2003, the 21-year-old from Nagpur is a right-handed top-order batter and a right-arm leg-break bowler. Known for his consistency in red-ball cricket and attacking intent in shorter formats, Malewar was picked by the Mumbai Indians at his base price of INR 30 lakh.

His journey began at the City Gymkhana Academy under coaches Swaroopraj Shrivastava and Nitin Gawande. Joining at just seven years old, Malewar quickly stood out for his discipline and determination. By the age of 12, he was already representing Vidarbha’s Under-14 team.

One story often shared about him highlights his commitment. After returning from a tour at 2 am, Malewar chose to play an Under-14 final the very next morning and went on to score a century despite barely getting any rest.

He rose through the ranks to become a key player for Vidarbha. In the 2024–25 Ranji Trophy season, he played an important role in their title-winning campaign, scoring 783 runs in nine matches at an average of 52. His tally included two centuries and six half-centuries, making him the team’s third-highest run-scorer.

Batting at No. 3, Malewar is known for his calm approach. He focuses on handling the new ball and building long innings. His patience is clear from the fact that he has faced 100 or more deliveries in half of his innings so far.

He continues to shape his batting by learning from players like Sachin Tendulkar and KL Rahul, aiming to develop his own identity while mastering every shot in the book.

–IANS

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