A new name has entered the spotlight for Mumbai Indians As 21-year-old Danish Malivar makes his IPL debut against Gujarat Titans in the 2026 season clash at the Narendra Modi Stadium.Born on 8 October 2003 in Nagpur, Malivar is a right-handed top-order batsman who also bowls right-handed leg-spin. He has been steadily making a name for himself in domestic cricket, especially in the longer format, for his consistency and aggressive intent in white-ball cricket. His rise earned him an IPL contract with Mumbai Indians, who acquired him at a base price of Rs 30 lakh.Malivar’s cricketing journey initially started at the City Gymkhana Academy under the guidance of coaches Swarupraj Shrivastava and Nitin Gawande. Joining at the age of just seven, he quickly progressed through the ranks and by the age of 12 was representing Vidarbha at the under-14 level.His breakthrough came in 2024-25 Ranji Trophy season, where he played a key role in Vidarbha’s title-winning campaign. Malliver scored 783 runs in nine matches at an impressive average of 52, including two centuries and six half-centuries, finishing as the team’s third-highest run-scorer.He showed his skills even in the shortest format. In the Vidarbha T20 League, he emerged as the second highest run-scorer, scoring 318 runs at an average of 79.5 and a strike rate of 161.42, illustrating his ability to shift gears.Malivar’s debut comes at a crucial time for Mumbai Indians, who are struggling with four consecutive defeats after their opening win in IPL 2026 and are currently at the bottom of the table. With senior players under pressure, the franchise has turned to new talent in search of a turnaround.Facing a confident Gujarat Titans-led team Shabman GulHaving elected to bowl first after winning the toss, Mallory now has an early opportunity to showcase his mettle on one of the biggest stages in franchise cricket.
