Who is Vihaan Malhotra? 5 interesting facts about RCB’s uncapped signing at IPL 2026 auction

avijit-das — Fri, 19 Dec 2025 18:43:09 GMT

Vihaan Malhotra

Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) made some important additions to their strong team in the IPL 2026 auction. The team focused on uncapped players, with five out of their eight buys coming from that category. One of them was the Patiala-born teenager, Vihaan Malhotra, bought for ₹30 Lakh.

At 18, Vihaan has already made a mark in Indian cricket with good performances this year. While his chances of playing in the main XI next season may be low, the batting all-rounder could be a big prospect for RCB in the future. Interestingly, Vihaan is one of the few players who bat left-handed but bowl right-arm off-spin.

RCB fans have also been curious to know more about the young player. Here are five interesting facts about RCB's uncapped signing at the IPL 2026 auction, Vihaan Malhotra.

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1. Vihaan Malhotra’s Rise to Fame in England

Vihaan Malhotra became known among Indian cricket fans during the India Under-19 tour of England earlier this year. The left-handed batsman scored 243 runs in five ODIs, finishing as the third-highest run-scorer. His average was 48.60, with a strike rate of almost 99.

His performances helped India Under-19 win the ODI series 3-2. Vihaan also played well in the red-ball series, scoring 277 runs in two Tests at an average of over 69, including a century and two half-centuries.

2. Sacrificing His Spot for IPL Stars

Before the England tour, Vihaan had to give up his opening role to two IPL 2025 stars, Ayush Mhatre and Vaibhav Suryavanshi. His coach, Kamalpreet Sandhu, asked him to bat at No.3 and make that position his own.

“He has opened all his life. Batting at No.3 was new for him. I told him Vaibhav and Ayush earned their spot, and he should make No.3 his own,” said Kamalpreet. Vihaan followed his coach’s advice and performed well at No.3 during the England tour.

3. Idolising Virat Kohli and Shubman Gill

Vihaan enjoys playing all three formats and wants to earn a national call-up through consistent performances, not just a few IPL knocks.

He looks up to Virat Kohli and Shubman Gill because they succeed in all formats. “I admire Shubman Gill. He is technically strong and performs in white-ball cricket too. Kohli and Gill are great examples of complete batsmen,” said Vihaan Malhotra in a recent interview.

He added, “Cricket isn’t only one format. Red-ball cricket builds the base for white-ball success. Some people think a few IPL knocks can get you to India, but I believe in the grind. After England, Vihaan also played in the U-19 tour of Australia. He scored well in the ODIs, averaging just under 40, but struggled in the red-ball matches, averaging under 13.

4. Inspired by Vaibhav Suryavanshi and Team Competition

Vaibhav Suryavanshi, only 14, made headlines in IPL 2025, scoring 252 runs at an average of 36 and a strike rate of 206.55 in seven matches. Vihaan said Vaibhav’s success inspired him, even though they could be future competitors.

He also mentioned Ayush Mhatre and said the competition helped him improve. “The focus on Vaibhav and Ayush helped me go under the radar. Bowlers wanted to dismiss IPL stars first, so I could work my way in. Having them in the team pushed me to work harder,” said Vihaan.

Ayush Mhatre also performed well in IPL 2025, scoring 240 runs at an average of 34.28 and a strike rate of 188.97 in seven games.

5. Imitating Shubman Gill’s Celebration

Vihaan also admires Shubman Gill’s batting and his celebrations. Gill’s signature bow celebration after milestones inspired Vihaan to copy him. “It was amazing to watch him bat live in England. I celebrate my milestones like him — with that bow,” said Vihaan.

Gill had a great Test series in England, scoring 754 runs at an average of over 75, including four centuries, in the 2-2 drawn five-match series.