Follow Us“We have to work very hard now”, said Mumbai Indians’ skipper Rohit Sharma after Match 14, their third defeat in a row to start their campaign.
They have been in this position before. But Mumbai don’t have that perfect T20 team anymore which fought back from those situations. The mega-auction left every team vulnerable in at least one facet and Mumbai, which did shopping with an eye for the future, have multiple chinks in their armor this season. In addition, the competition has increased with the two new teams. Hence, Rohit realizes that time is already running out for the five-time champions.
Royal Challengers Bangalore, on the contrary, have things well under control. Since conceding a target of 206 to Punjab in their season opener, they have won two close games at the back of their bowling and the lower middle-order. Glenn Maxwell’s availability gives their side the full-strength look and will boost their confidence further.
Maxwell’s return
Prior to the tournament, a potential area of vulnerability for Bangalore lay in their batting. Their top-order has not fired consistently but yet, they have delivered enough with the bat. The trick has been various pieces coming together in the middle-order. Dinesh Karthik has delivered as a finisher in all three games and is yet to be dismissed despite batting at a strike-rate of 204.4. Shahbaz Ahmed has absorbed pressure whilst hitting six sixes. Bangalore’s middle-order been a tick for them.
Now that middle-order is set to welcome its MVP in Glenn Maxwell. He was the highest run-scorer for Bangalore last season. Irrespective of the fact that he can replicate that or not, Maxwell is one of the best hitters of spin bowling. He has the second-highest strike-rate (162) among the 57 players who have scored over 500 runs facing spin in IPL.
While Mumbai’s pace bowling numbers are dodgy this season, Murugan Ashwin has led the spin department with some command. Maxwell’s presence sits well for Bangalore to take that down as well.
Rohit needs to pull his socks up
Rohit Sharma has delivered underwhelming batting numbers in IPL for a number of years. This season, however, Mumbai don’t have the cushion to absorb his inconsistent returns as an opener. Earlier, they batted deep with batting firepower till number eight. This year, the batting sort of ends at number six with Kieron Pollard. Daniel Sams has no batting credentials in the IPL as yet and the same is the case with the only other all-round option in Fabian Allen. Not to forget the inexperienced middle-order that has Tilak Varma and Dewald Brevis, two 19-year olds playing their first season.
Runs from Rohit are paramount for Mumbai this year. He has not started well but against a bowling line-up like that of Bangalore, Rohit needs to step up.
The contest
As mentioned above, Maxwell will be key for Bangalore. Mumbai possess his kryptonite in Jasprit Bumrah who has dismissed him five times in IPL for 60 runs. In overall T20s, Bumrah averages 10.7 against Maxwell with seven dismissals.
Rohit has always preserved one over of Bumrah solely to attack the opposition’s middle-order MVP if any. We saw that in Mumbai’s previous game when Andre Russell walked out to bat. We can expect the same to happen in this match. It is a battle within the battle that holds key to the outcome of this contest.
Similarly, Harshal Patel will be eager to get on the park against his favorite opposition. He rattled Mumbai twice last year; first bagging a five-wicket haul in the season opener against them and then taking a hat-trick in the second fixture between the two sides. Both times, Harshal pulled the plug on Mumbai’s batting during the death overs, a role he has mastered with his unique skillset. With Mumbai cut down on batting depth, Harshal has a great opportunity to extend his domination.
Team combination
Royal Challengers Bangalore
Glenn Maxwell replacing Sherfane Rutherford is a move waiting to happen. That seems to be the only possible change in Bangalore’s line-up for this match.
Probable XI: Faf du Plessis (c), Anuj Rawat, Virat Kohli, Glenn Maxwell, Shahbaz Ahmed, Dinesh Karthik (wk), Wanindu Hasaranga, Harshal Patel, David Willey, Mohammad Siraj, Akash Deep
Mumbai Indians
Mumbai have a bit of thinking to do. Daniel Sams has clearly not worked out as the fast-bowling all-rounder and replacing him will change their combination. They don’t have another proven fast-bowling all-rounder in their side. Their best bet is Fabian Allen, an excellent T20 all-rounder but his inclusion will force Mumbai to shift from their conventional strategy of playing four pacers. Swapping Sams with a pacer will result in a long tail. Therefore, there is no obvious choice for Mumbai.
Probable XI: Rohit Sharma (c), Ishan Kishan (wk), Dewald Brevis, Suryakumar Yadav, tilak Varma, Kieron Pollard, Daniel Sams/Fabian Allen, Murugan Ashwin, Jasprit Bumrah, Tymal Mills, Basil Thampi