Cricket isn’t a one-man sport. It’s foolish to expect one player to do all the work. But if that player is as brilliant as Jasprit Bumrah, you could get away with doing that sometimes. Mumbai Indians (MI), at least, would hope that Bumrah’s charm works quite that way for them on his return to the side. They do not have much to boast about this season so far. The only thing they can find relief in is the fact that they defeated the defending champions. But in all fairness, those defending champions were not entirely themselves when Mumbai beat them. They now have to make a comeback as soon as they can. The longer they wait, the more difficult it will become to keep up with the pace. With Bumrah, they should get started on their return, but they have other issues to address. Issues which are beyond what Bumrah can control.
Team Overview:
Mumbai Indians:
For instance, their batting. The fact that Rohit Sharma has not done too well so far is no news to anyone. However, in his absence in the last game, Will Jacks couldn’t do much damage in his stead either. Naman Dhir’s quick-fire 46 at Jacks’ original spot has opened up an entirely new selection headache for them. Can a mere morale boost with Bumrah’s presence help them overcome all of the muddle within the team? Probably not. They need to find batters who are both capable and, more importantly, in form to fall back on. Suryakumar Yadav has been a breath of fresh air for them amidst all the batting problems, but something similar to what he offers will be needed from other players too if they wish to stay in the hunt.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB):
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) have been doing well enough to avoid play-offs worries just yet. They have won both of their away games, including a win at Chepauk against Chennai Super Kings (CSK)—something they hadn’t managed in over a decade. Their batting lineup has great depth. The bowling lineup is firing well. It should be appaling if they are not a force to reckon with at Wankhede against Mumbai Indians.
Head-to-Head Matches:
Mumbai have won the majority of matches between the two sides, with 21 wins out of 35. The remaining 14 games were won by RCB.
Weather and Pitch Report:
KKR could only score 116 batting first at Wankhede in the last game—contrary to the venue’s reputation as a high-scoring ground. Bowling first is a no-brainer here, as dew is most likely to set in during the later part of the game.
Prediction:
RCB might come with nothing too worrying on their mind, but Mumbai Indians could very much use this opportunity to announce their arrival to the party.
Where to Watch:
India: Star Sports Network, JioHotstar
Pakistan: Tapmad, tamasha
UK: Sky Sports, SkyGo
USA: Willow TV
Australia: Kayo TV, FoxTel Go
Bangladesh: T Sports, Toffee app
New Zealand: Sky Sports NZ
Afghanistan: ATN
South Africa: SuperSport
Sri Lanka: Dialog
MENA: Cricbuzz
