Vihaan Malhotra (ICC Photo) NEW DELHI: “Mujhe Virat Kohli jaisa banna hai. Main unke saath khelna chahta hoon (I want to become like Virat Kohli and play with him),” nine-year-old Vihaan Malhotra told his coach Kamal Sandhu when he joined his cricket academy in Patiala. Back then, the child had no idea that his words, desire and dream would one day turn into reality. Now 19-year-old Vihaan, who is making a name for himself in the ongoing U-19 World Cup in Zimbabwe, is all set to play for Royal Challengers Bengaluru. He will share the dressing room, dugout, ground and crease with Kohli in IPL 2026. Vihaan was bought for Rs 30 lakh in the IPL 2026 auction.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SIGN UP NOW!“You knew he would say it and one day it would come true. I’m really happy for him. I’ve been watching Virat’s videos – I loved his shots, especially the cover drive. He’s also a fitness fan. He’s always admired Virat and tried to take everything from the legend’s book.”
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“Playing for RCB will give him a lot of learning. He is happy – really happy,” the coach said.Vihaan is India’s only centurion in the ongoing ICC Under-19 World Cup. His unbeaten hundred led India to a comprehensive win over Zimbabwe in their first Super Sixes match at the 2026 U-19 World Cup in Bulawayo. India set Zimbabwe a daunting target of 353 before bowling them out for 148 in just 37.4 overs.Vihaan jumped in the air, took off his helmet, extended his arms and celebrated the century in style. The celebration said it all – a clear message: “I can do anything.It didn’t take long for the 19-year-old to adopt that mindset in his career. Once an opener, he is now ready to bat at any position, can mix and pick wickets, tighten the noose around the batsmen with his spin and is an acrobat in the field.Prior to his century against Zimbabwe, Vihaan also claimed four wickets and took two breathtaking catches against Bangladesh.“Hamesha kehta hai, ‘Sir, main kuch bhi kar lunga,’ jab U-19 World Cup ke liye ja raha tha. That’s how he prepared. All I told him in the beginning was that if you have to stay in the team for a long time, you have to be an all-rounder. To be brilliant, you should also know bowling and your fielding coach.“He is a proper batsman, but he has also worked a lot on his bowling. After batting for four to five hours, he moves to bowling and bowls almost seven-eight pitches every day at the nets. Over time, he has also become a good spinner. And then he signs off his training session with fielding practice and watching some videos of Virat,” Sandhu, who also coached Sbranshmolsh and Prabshmolsh. Naman Dhir, he said.
Vihaan with Kamal Sandhu (Image Credit: Special Arrangement)
Vihaan also trained under Ravneet Ricky, a member of India’s 2000 Under-19 World Cup triumphant squad under Mohammad Kaif.Ricky, who started coaching Vihaan in 2022, describes him as the crisis man of the team.“He actually came to me in 2022 when I was the head coach of the Punjab Under-16 team. He was an opener. He gave up that position and made himself an ‘any position’ player. Send him in any position or situation – he delivers. He always wanted to be an opener and when the management told him to play in the middle order, he didn’t say it very gracefully and accepted it.”“I am really happy for him that he will be sharing the dressing room with a legend like Virat Kohli at RCB this year. After the IPL, Vihaan will come through more refined. After talking and spending time with Virat, he will have a different approach and mindset. Virat and I have played together a few times,” added Ricky.2025 turned out to be an impressive year for Vihaan. He amassed 277 runs in two Youth Tests, including a knock of 120, and followed that up with 243 runs in five Youth ODIs, highlighted by a century in the fourth match.
Vihaan with Ravneet Ricky (Image Credit: Special Arrangement)
FAMILY OF DOCTOR AND ENGINEERJust like every family of doctors and engineers wants their child to pursue a similar profession, Vihaan too was nudged in that direction.His father Manoj Malhotra, an engineer, and mother Poonam Malhotra, a doctor, took their son to Sandhu to play cricket as a hobby, not knowing that the boy had long since decided on his career.For coach Sandhu, Vihaan was destined to become a cricketer – even though he first took up the sport as a hobby.
Vihan Malhotra during the U19 World Cup (ICC Photo)
“This is a very interesting story. They said, “Coach saab, aap please cricket khilao. Mobile phones se door rahega khaali time mein.”He was also excellent in academics – almost 95 per cent in school. He is a dynamic kid but cricket has kept him on top. I told his parents that the kid is talented and let him play,” said Sandhu.“The moment he crossed 15, his mental strength was something to see. He gave a lot of time to cricket. Over time, he started devoting all his time to cricket. I also saw him training alone. Coming in the morning around 11 and coming back at night at 9 or 10 became his routine,” the coach said.“There are a lot of plans to prepare for the IPL. Let him come back – we will start those exercises as well,” the coach signed off.
