A new name has entered the limelight for Mumbai Indians as 21-year-old Danish Maliwar made his Indian Premier League debut against Gujarat Titans in their 2026 season clash at the Narendra Modi Stadium.Born on October 8, 2003 in Nagpur, Maliwar is a right-handed first-order batsman who also bowls right-arm leg spin.
He has been steadily building a reputation in domestic cricket, particularly due to his consistency in the longer format and his aggressive intent in white-ball cricket.
His rise earned him an IPL contract with Mumbai Indians, who secured him at his base price of INR 30 lakh.
He watches
IPL 2026: “It’s the nature of the game” – Varun Chakaravarthy on the field, pressure and KKR’s win
Malewar’s cricketing journey started early at City Gymkhana Academy under coaches Swaroopraj Shrivastava and Nitin Gawande. Joining aged just seven, he quickly progressed through the ranks and was representing Vidarbha at under-14 level when he was 12 years old.His breakthrough came in the 2024-25 Ranji Trophy season, where he played a key role in Vidarbha’s title-winning campaign. Maliwar amassed 783 runs in nine matches at an impressive average of 52, including two centuries and six fifties, to finish as the team’s third highest run-scorer.He has also shown his prowess in the shortest format. In the Vidarbha T20 League, he emerged as the second-highest run-scorer, amassing 318 runs at an average of 79.5 and a strike rate of 161.42, underscoring his ability to change gears.
Malewar’s debut comes at a crucial time for Mumbai Indians, who are struggling in IPL 2026 with four straight defeats after their opening win and are currently sitting near the bottom of the table. With established players under pressure, the franchise has turned to new talent in search of a turnaround.Facing a confident Gujarat Titans side led by Shubman Gill, who elected to bowl first after winning the toss, Malewar now has an early opportunity to showcase his potential on one of the biggest stages in cricket.