Mumbai Indians handed debuts to Danish Malewar and Krish Bhagat as they look to reset their IPL 2026 campaign against Gujarat Titans at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Monday, with captain Hardik Pandya admitting the side needs to “play overall better cricket.”
Coming into the game on the back of a difficult run, MI opted for a shake-up in personnel and approach, bringing in young domestic performers as they attempt to break a four-match winless streak.
“We would have fielded as well. It’s obviously the last game for us as a group. We had to regroup and speak about what Mumbai Indians stands for and what kind of game we want to play,” Pandya said at the toss.
MI look for reset after poor run, back young domestic core
Pandya indicated that the team has had “a good amount of chats” internally after recent losses and is now focused on rebuilding momentum.
“Most often than not, we have bounced back from such situations. This time we want to make sure we start the winning form and tick boxes whenever we are supposed to,” he said.
The MI skipper avoided singling out specific areas but stressed the need for a collective improvement. “We win together, we lose together. As a group, we need to get better. It’s a fresh day. Sun has risen again — just a positive way,” he added.
The inclusion of Danish Malewar and Krish Bhagat reflects that reset. “Danish makes his Mumbai Indians debut. And Krish as well… he was part of the support bowlers, really impressed us,” Pandya said.
Who is Danish Malewar and why MI have backed him
At 22, Danish Malewar arrives with strong domestic credentials and growing reputation as a high-tempo top-order batter from Vidarbha.
He was picked by MI for Rs 30 lakh in the 2025 auction and has since built a case for selection through consistent performances. Malewar made headlines with a double century (203) on his Duleep Trophy debut in 2025, the first from a Vidarbha player and followed it up with 783 runs in the 2024-25 Ranji Trophy season at an average above 50.
He was also part of Vidarbha’s Vijay Hazare Trophy-winning campaign earlier this year, underlining his white-ball credentials.
With MI struggling for middle-order consistency, the move signals a shift towards investing in domestic talent with long-term upside.
GT vs MI Playing XIs
Gujarat Titans (Playing XI): Shubman Gill(c), Sai Sudharsan, Jos Buttler(w), Washington Sundar, Glenn Phillips, Shahrukh Khan, Rashid Khan, Mohammed Siraj, Kagiso Rabada, Prasidh Krishna, Ashok Sharma
Mumbai Indians (Playing XI): Danish Malewar, Quinton de Kock(w), Naman Dhir, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya(c), Tilak Varma, Sherfane Rutherford, Mitchell Santner, Krish Bhagat, Jasprit Bumrah, AM Ghazanfar
With MI searching for rhythm and GT riding momentum, the contest presents a test of whether Mumbai’s new combination can deliver immediate returns.