Mumbai Indians gave the debut to young recruits Danish Malevar and Krish Bhagat in the ongoing Indian Premier League 2026 season against Gujarat Titans at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Monday, April 20.

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While the franchise continues Opener and former captain Rohit Sharma missed out due to hamstring injuryMI also dropped overseas opener Ryan Rickelton due to his poor form at the top.

Who is Danish Malevar?

A right-handed batsman, Danish hails from Vidarbha and is regarded as an emerging talent in the domestic circuit due to his consistency in red-ball cricket. MI had bought the 21-year-old player in the 2026 auction at a base price of Rs 30 lakh.

Malewar started his cricket journey at City Gymkhana Academy under the guidance of coaches Swaroopraj Srivastava and Nitin Gawande. Coaches immediately recognized his discipline and determination.

He was also a key contributor to Vidarbha’s title-winning Ranji Trophy 2024-25 campaign, scoring 783 runs at an average of 52 in nine matches. The batsman recorded two centuries and six half-centuries that season, and finished as his team’s third-highest run-scorer. Malewar played in the middle order for his state, usually at number 4.

The young batsman has represented Vidarbha since the Under-14 level and joined the team at the age of 12. Taking inspiration from idols Sachin Tendulkar and KL Rahul, Malewar is known for his strong work ethic. However, his aim is to develop his own batting identity by mastering every shot, from drives to flicks and sweeps.

The Danish, who came in to bat alongside veteran wicketkeeper-batsman Quinton de Kock, failed to make a mark after being blown away by Kagiso Rabada’s inswinger. Malewar was declared LBW after scoring just two runs in four balls.

Who is Krishna Bhagat?

Krish, who was a replacement for Atharva Ankolekar at the start of the season, is a bowling all-rounder from Punjab. He has been a part of the Mumbai Indians trials for the last two years, played for the Reliance team in the DY Patil T20 Cup 2026 and served as a supporting bowler during the pre-season.

“Krish, who was part of the supporting bowlers, really impressed us. He came into the team three days ago and today he is having the time of his life,” captain Hardik Pandya said during the toss.

The 21-year-old right-handed all-rounder brings versatility as a right-arm fast bowler and can also contribute with the bat lower down the order.

“Kriss has consistently impressed the coaching staff with his dedication, work ethic and quality in every session and practice game for Mumbai Indians. His commitment and development in domestic cricket and practice sessions for Mumbai Indians this season has earned him this well-deserved opportunity to transition into the main team,” the franchise said in a brief statement.

The young all-rounder is likely to be used in the middle overs, while the premier pace bowlers are struggling to make breakthroughs.

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