MI vs GT IPL 2026: Who is Danish Malewar? MI’s New Opener Replacing Rohit Sharma in Mumbai Indians’ Playing XI — All You Need to Know

MI vs GT IPL 2026: In a risky move that was made because of an injury worry, 22-year-old Danish Malewar will make his IPL debut for the Mumbai Indians in the important game against the Gujarat Titans on Monday, April 20. The Vidarbha star is in the spotlight at the Narendra Modi Stadium as he takes on the huge role of veteran opener Rohit Sharma. MI is currently at the bottom of the table, so adding this domestic powerhouse could mean a change in strategy for the five-time champions.

Who is Danish Malewar?

Danish Malewar is a right-handed top-order batter and a leg-break bowler from Nagpur, Maharashtra. He was a star player for Vidarbha in domestic cricket, and Mumbai Indians bought him for ₹30 lakh in the IPL auction. Malewar has quickly moved up the ranks in the Indian domestic circuit thanks to his aggressive but technically sound batting. He is known as a prolific run-machine who can anchor an innings or speed it up when needed.

What Are Danish Malewar’s Achievements?

Despite his young age, Malewar’s resume is already decorated with record-breaking milestones:

• Duleep Trophy Record: He became the first player from Vidarbha to score a double century (203 runs) on his Duleep Trophy debut for Central Zone.

• Fastest to 1,000 Runs: He is one of the fastest Indians to reach 1,000 First-Class runs, achieving the feat in just 16 innings.

• Domestic Titles: He played a pivotal role in Vidarbha’s recent Ranji Trophy success, earning the “Player of the Match” award in the final with scores of 153 and 73. He also helped his state clinch the Vijay Hazare Trophy earlier this year.

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• Under-19 Dominance: In the 2022/23 Cooch Behar Trophy, he amassed a staggering 1,171 runs at an average of 117.10.

Why is Rohit Sharma Not Playing?

The Mumbai Indians are in big trouble without “Hitman” Rohit Sharma. Rohit is out right now because he hurt his hamstring in a recent game against the Royal Challengers Bengaluru. There was hope for a last-minute recovery, but MI management decided not to risk their star veteran. Instead, they chose to let him fully heal as the tournament goes on. This gave Malewar the chance to show off his skills on the biggest stage.

Who Won the Toss Between GT and MI?

The coin toss went in favour of Gujarat Titans captain Shubman Gill, who chose to bowl first. Gill said that the dew on the ground in Ahmedabad at night and the fact that the ground has a history of favouring teams that chase were the main reasons for his choice. This means that Danish Malewar will have to prove himself right away for the Mumbai Indians, as he will be leading the charge in the first innings.

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