Most impressive T20I performer: Who is Virandeep Singh?

Malaysian Virandeep Singh, ex-captain and flamboyant cricketer, his aim is to transcend the tag of cricket partner and his specialty is to deliver impressive performances.

He recently became the first all-rounder to score 3,000 runs and take 100 wickets in T20Is. He has the most Player of the Match awards under his belt in the shortest format of the game with 22.

“The reality is, as a cricket partner, those records don’t carry the same weight in the eyes of the world,” he lamented. “Cricket is cricket, no matter the level, but the value attached to performances is much lower for us,” Singh said during an exclusive interview.

The 26-year-old is also the fifth fastest batsman to reach 3,000 T20I runs, achieving the milestone in just 98 innings.

The goalkeeper made history by becoming the youngest player to represent his country at international level, aged just 15. He turned from a bowler to a hard hitter.

However, he remains in the shadows, struggling to gain the recognition he deserves.

Born in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Singh was introduced to cricket through his father, who had played the game at school.

Initially more inclined towards football, he started playing cricket in primary school, following in his brother’s footsteps.

At the age of just ten, he joined the Royal Selangor Club, getting his first taste of leather ball cricket.
Although he disliked the game at first, India’s triumph in the 2011 World Cup ignited his passion for cricket.

He dreamed of representing his country on the world stage from that point on.

Destined to play

His physical ability, hard work and consistent performances took him on a remarkable journey and at 13 he was selected for the Malaysian U-16 team, at 14, he had made the Malaysian U-19 team and at 15 he was selected for the senior team.

In age-group cricket, Singh put in a series of impressive performances with both bat and ball, earning him a call-up in selection matches, which eventually landed him in the national team. The choice, however, came with a whirlwind of emotions and drama.

“Malaysia had a tour to Dubai for the ACC Premier Cup. I was called up for the qualifiers and scored a couple of fifties, which earned me a place in the first 18 as a bowler. I was in the back four, not traveling with the team,” he recalled.

“Then during training one of my teammates twisted his ankle during a fitness drill and I was told I would be traveling with the team as his replacement. I was over the moon.”

But just as quickly his enthusiasm faded because at the last minute another player was chosen in his place.

However, Singh refused to lose hope. Fate intervened again when one of the players was banned from entering the country, paving the way for his debut.

In his first outing, batting at number five, he scored 23 runs off 17 deliveries.

“I wasn’t really nervous,” he said. “It was easier because I was too young to think about the consequences. When you’re young, you’re fearless.”

Selection for the national team was only the beginning. In an era of fast-paced T20 cricket, Singh was a more traditional, consistent player, having played a few 20-over games at junior level. He soon realized that he had to adapt to the demands of the modern game.

“My role then was to bat for long periods and be the guy who finished the runs for the team. I played a lot of innings where I faced more than 100 balls and scored just 50 runs, which worked for the longer formats at that time,” he shared.

Malaysia’s change of status marked a new role for Singh

When Malaysia got T20I status in 2019, everything changed. He knew scoring wasn’t enough. creating an impact was essential.

“Teams are looking for that quick 40 off 20 balls, rather than a 50-ball run,” he shared.

“This form of cricket didn’t come naturally to me. At first, I struggled a lot. I even remember crying to my psychologist, saying:

“I’m just not cut out for T20 cricket.” I worked incredibly hard, spent hours with my trainer and even then, I wasn’t happy with my strike rate.

“I told myself that if I wanted to get into elite leagues and make a name for myself, I had to evolve and play a different brand of cricket.”

The evolution of Singh

That’s exactly what he did. Singh, a left-arm slow bowler, evolved his game and transformed into an explosive batsman who could bowl overs with ease at any stage of the game, the perfect recipe for a T20 all-rounder.

The Malaysian star admires the mental strength of Virat Kohli and the sheer skill of AB de Villiers, but his biggest inspiration is Australian Tim David.

The Australian, who previously played for Singapore, used the Pakistan Super League as a platform to attract the attention of Australia’s elite.

“I really admire David because of the way he’s transformed. I remember watching him play for Singapore early on and now it’s incredible to see him develop into such an explosive, sought-after batsman,” Singh said.

“There’s even a video of him tearing up Malaysia in one game – he scored 90-odd in about 30 balls. I was the wicketkeeper that day so I had the best seat in the house. Even though my bowlers were falling apart, I loved watching him with the bat. It was a special innings and a reminder.”

David’s story gives hope to Singh and many fellow cricketers, although he acknowledges the huge difference in the exposure and opportunities he had, having played the early years of cricket in Australia. “I would like to share a dressing room with him one day, there is so much to learn from a player like David.”

Now, Singh has begun to gain international attention, earning contracts in world championships such as GT20 Canada and the UAE ILT20, where he has shared the dressing room with stars like Marcus Stoinis, Sunil Narine, Mohammad Nabi and Tim Southee.

But, he is still not satisfied.

The Malaysian star wants his team to qualify for the next editions of the T20 World Cup – a milestone he believes will transform cricket in Malaysia and put him and his teammates on the radar of top global leagues such as the Indian Premier League, Pakistan Super League and the Caribbean Premier League.

“On a personal level, I want to get into more franchise leagues and build a career that allows me to retire comfortably after cricket,” he said.

He calls on financially powerful individuals and companies to support cricket and other sports in Malaysia to give a platform to talented younger athletes to showcase their skills and make a career out of it.

Singh’s career mirrors the larger story of collaborative cricket – where great performances often unfold beyond mainstream attention.

As he and Malaysia strive for greater recognition, their journey poses a simple question for the cricketing world: how many more talents like him are waiting to be seen?