The availability of star bowler Jasprit Bumrah for selection is the biggest talking point ahead of Mumbai Indians’ clash against RCB at Wankhede later tonight.
It is not clear whether the MI management will actually play the legend who has been cleared by BCCI's centre of excellence after he went for rehabilitation there for the back injury he sustained during India's tour to Australia early this year.
MI’s head coach Mahela Jayawardene said that Bumrah is indeed available for selection. But whether the team think-tank will rush him into eleven will be known closer to the toss time. But MI could do well with his services as it has had a shaky start to its campaign, losing three of their first four matches. It is currently placed 8th on the points table with just 2 points and a net run rate (NRR) of +0.108.
Its top order in batting has not been firing.Suryakumar Yadav found some touch though in the previous against LSG, scoring a valiant 67. Wicket-keeper bat Ryan Rickelton showed some promise with a half-century earlier in the season.
Poor starts in the powerplay and a lack of middle-order stability is hurting MI. Rohit Sharma's availability remains uncertain due to a knee injury, but his form is still a concern. Tilak Varman, who was controversially retired in the previous game, could also do with some form. On the bowling front, Bumrah's potential return can be a significant boost for MI. If fit, he could lead the bowling attack alongside Trent Boult and Deepak Chahar. Newcomers Ashwani Kumar and Vignesh Puthur have given crumbs of comfort for MI in bowling. Captain Hardik Pandya was special with a 5-wicket haul the other night against LSG. But his batting is not firing on all cylinders as it used to.
RCB has had a mixed start, winning two of its three matches. it is currently 2nd on the points table with 4 points and an NRR of +1.149. Virat Kohli has been a consistent performer against MI in the IPL, amassing 855 runs in 33 matches at an average of 30.53. Rajat Patidar, the captain, has also been in good form, along with contributions from Devdutt Padikkal and Phil Salt. RCB's all-round depth is a significant advantage. Its pace attack, led by Josh Hazlewood and Bhuvneshwar Kumar, has been effective, though its spinners, save for Krunal Pandya, are yet to find rhythm. RCB's middle-order has shown vulnerability under pressure, and it will need to address this against MI's bowling attack.
Dew could play a role in the second innings, making it advantageous for teams to chase.
MI and RCB have faced each other 33 times in IPL history. MI leads the head-to-head record with 19 wins, while RCB has won 14 matches. Interestingly, RCB has not won at the Wankhede Stadium since 2015, adding an extra layer of intrigue to tonight's game.
MI will be desperate to turn its season around and capitalise on the home advantage. The potential return of Rohit and Bumrah could be game-changers for it. RCB, on the other hand, will look to end its poor run at Wankhede.
Probable teams:
Mumbai Indians: Ryan Rickelton (wk), Rohit Sharma (if fit), Will Jacks, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya (c)
Naman Dhir, Mitchell Santner, Deepak Chahar, Trent Boult, Jasprit Bumrah (returning from injury)
Impact Player Options: Vignesh Puthur, Ashwani Kumar, Raj Angad Bawa.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Phil Salt (wk), Virat Kohli, Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar (c), Liam Livingstone, Tim David, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Josh Hazlewood, Yash Dayal, Suyash Sharma
Impact Player Options: Rasikh Salam, Jacob Bethell, Swapnil Singh.