April 01 (Punjab Khabarnama) : Mumbai Indians find themselves struggling with an all too familiar scenario: a sluggish start to their campaign, this time under the leadership of new skipper Hardik Pandya. Despite the transition at the helm, with Hardik assuming the reins from the legendary Rohit Sharma, MI have stumbled significantly, succumbing to defeats in their opening encounters against Gujarat Titans and Sunrisers Hyderabad.
The Mumbai Indians’ woes are compounded by their dismal Net Run Rate, as they reel at the bottom of the points table with a concerning -0.925. Absent from their ranks is the influential presence of Suryakumar Yadav, sidelined due to lingering injuries, depriving the team of his invaluable contributions on the field. As they brace for a face-off against the Rajasthan Royals, MI are acutely aware of the need to arrest their slide and engineer a turnaround in fortunes.
The Bumrah conundrum
While MI have had a solid outing with the bat in their previous game, with almost every batter producing impressive performances in the mammoth run-chase, criticism has been levelled at captain Pandya’s utilisation of premier bowler Jasprit Bumrah. The pacer’s absence in the initial overs against Sunrisers Hyderabad sparked a significant debate.
Bumrah bowled only one over in the first ten, and was brought back to attack only in the 13th over of the innings. By then, the SRH had already notched up an incredible 173/3 on the board. As the side gears up for the clash against RR, Hardik would look to use his premier fast bowler more wisely. With seasoned campaigners like Bumrah in the bowling arsenal, MI possess the requisite tools to mount a spirited fightback.
Riyan Parag’s redemption
Led by the enigmatic Sanju Samson, Rajasthan Royals have hit the ground running with two consecutive victories, setting the tone for a compelling showdown at the Wankhede Stadium. Spearheaded by the explosive duo of Jos Buttler and Yashasvi Jaiswal at the top of the order, Rajasthan Royals boast a formidable batting lineup capable of dismantling opposition attacks with ease.
The emergence of Riyan Parag as a linchpin in the middle order further fortifies Rajasthan Royals’ batting prowess. Parag seems to be enjoying his redemption season in the tournament finally; in his first two matches of the tournament, Parag has registered scores of 43 and 85*, and will look to continue on his superb form as he meets MI on Monday.
Complemented by a potent bowling attack featuring the likes of Nandre Burger, Ravichandran Ashwin, and Avesh Khan, the Royals present a well-rounded challenge for their opponents.
Head to Head record
MI hold a slight edge over the Royals in their head-to-head clash, with the former winning on 15 occasions. RR have won 12 of their games against MI, while one didn’t end in a result. In the previous season, it was MI that prevailed in the clash between the two sides, as they chased down a mammoth 213-run target with three balls to spare.