Patiala’s Vihaan Malhotra Takes Flight: Smashes a Century in the Under-19 World Cup, Now Set to Fulfil His Dream of Playing Alongside Virat Kohli in the IPL
Whether in sports or in the fields, it is Punjabis who have often brought glory and recognition. Be it cultivating crops or dominating national and international sporting arenas, Punjabis continue to shine everywhere. Nineteen-year-old Vihaan Malhotra has done something remarkable for India in the Under-19 setup, leaving everyone astonished. The son of engineer Manoj Malhotra and doctor Poonam Malhotra from Patiala, Vihaan is currently raising India’s flag on the global stage.
Vihaan has already represented India in the Under-19 Asia Cup 2025 and the domestic triangular series. Initially an opener, he later shifted to the middle order to accommodate Vaibhav Suryavanshi and Ayush Mhatre in the top order.
Last November, Malhotra captained the India Under-19 A team. In the triangular series, he emerged as the top scorer with 182 runs in five innings. Vihaan trained at Patiala’s Cricket Hub Academy under coach Kamalpreet Sandhu. To further refine his cricketing skills, he also sought guidance from Under-19 coach Hrishikesh Kanitkar and V.V.S. Laxman.
Vihaan looks up to star Indian batsman Shubman Gill and Virat Kohli as his role models. He believes that being technically strong in red-ball cricket greatly benefits performance in white-ball formats. Even in the era of T20 cricket, Vihaan emphasizes that consistent hard work remains the key to success. During the IPL 2026 mini-auction, Royal Challengers Bangalore signed him at a base price of ₹30 lakh.
Now 19, Vihaan’s dream of playing alongside Virat Kohli is about to come true. In IPL 2026, he will share the dressing room with Kohli while representing Royal Challengers Bangalore.
Coach Kamalpreet Sandhu of Cricket Hub Academy still remembers the day when a nine-year-old boy approached him and said, “I want to become like Virat Kohli. I want to play with him.” At the time, the child had no idea that this dream would one day take him to great heights in cricket. That boy was Vihaan Malhotra, currently part of the leadership group of the Indian Under-19 team.
India’s Only Centurion in the Under-19 World Cup
Vihaan Malhotra was the only Indian batsman to score a century in the Under-19 World Cup 2026. In the first Super Six stage match against Zimbabwe, he played an unbeaten knock of 109 runs, playing a crucial role in helping India post a massive total of 352. In the match held in Bulawayo, India bowled out Zimbabwe for just 148 runs, securing a commanding victory.
Coach Kamalpreet Sandhu says, “Who knew that what he once said would one day come true? I’m extremely happy for him. He used to watch Virat’s videos—his shots, especially the cover drive, were his favorite. He is equally obsessed with fitness. Playing for RCB will give him a great opportunity to learn from Virat.”
The Ability to Bat in Any Position
Vihaan has embraced the game with a “I can do anything” mindset. Once an opener, he is now ready to bat at any position in the lineup. Beyond batting, he has also impressed with his spin bowling and fielding skills. Against Bangladesh, he took two spectacular catches and claimed four wickets.
Coach Kamalpreet Sandhu, who has also mentored players like Prabhsimran Singh and Anmolpreet Singh, says Vihaan has developed himself into a “multi-dimensional” cricketer. After spending 4–5 hours daily on batting practice, he regularly bowls 7–8 overs in the nets as well.
In 2022, Vihaan began training under another coach, Ravneet Ricky, a member of the 2000 Under-19 World Cup winning team. Ricky says that Vihaan willingly gave up his opening position to bat in the middle order and performed brilliantly there as well. “I’m very happy that this year he will share the dressing room with a legend like Virat Kohli at Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) Spending time with Virat will completely transform Vihaan’s approach and mindset.”
A Cricketer from a Family of Doctors and Engineers
Vihaan’s father Manoj Malhotra is an engineer, and his mother Poonam Malhotra is a doctor. Initially, they wanted him to become either a doctor or an engineer and sent him to cricket coaching mainly to keep him away from excessive mobile phone use during his free time.
Vihaan was also academically bright, scoring 95 percent in his exams, but his true passion was always cricket. Coach Sandhu highlights his mental toughness, noting that Vihaan would arrive at the ground at 11 a.m. and return home only around 9 or 10 at night. Special plans are now being made to prepare him for the upcoming IPL season.
At such a young age, Vihaan’s achievement sends a strong message to the youth: if a person truly commits to a goal and works toward it with the right mindset, nothing can stop them. His journey also sends a message to young aspirants: clarity of purpose and disciplined effort can turn ambition into achievement. Hopefully, Vihaan Malhotra will continue to perform strongly in the IPL and bring pride to Punjab once again.
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