Priyanka
Share
Mumbai Indians (MI) are eager to rejuvenate their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 campaign as they face Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in Match 20 at Wankhede Stadium on April 7. With only one win in four matches, MI aims to leverage home advantage to secure a vital victory.
Jasprit Bumrah's Return Bolsters MI Bowling Attack
A significant boost for MI is the return of premier fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah. After recovering from a back injury sustained during the Test series against Australia in January, Bumrah has rejoined the squad and is available for selection. Head coach Mahela Jayawardene confirmed, "He's available, he's training today, and should be available (for RCB game)."
Rohit Sharma's Fitness Update
Opener Rohit Sharma missed the previous match against Lucknow Super Giants due to a knee injury. Jayawardene provided an update, stating, "Rohit looks good. He is going to bat today as well... He will have a hit today so we will do an assessment on that." His participation against RCB will depend on the assessment following the batting session.
MI's Batting Concerns
MI's batting lineup has underperformed, with only Suryakumar Yadav and Ryan Rickelton registering half-centuries. Tilak Varma has shown promise but needs to convert starts into substantial scores. The team looks to these players to deliver impactful performances against RCB.
RCB's Formidable Batting Lineup
RCB has a strong batting order featuring Philip Salt, Virat Kohli, and captain Rajat Patidar, each with a half-century this season. Despite a top-order collapse in their last match against Gujarat Titans, middle-order contributions from Liam Livingstone and Jitesh Sharma showcased the team's depth. RCB's batsmen will pose a significant challenge to MI's bowlers.
Spin Bowling: A Concern for RCB
While RCB's pace attack, led by Josh Hazlewood and Bhuvneshwar Kumar, has been effective, their spin department remains a concern. The spinners have yet to make a significant impact, which could be pivotal in the spin-friendly conditions at Wankhede Stadium.
Probable Playing XIs
Mumbai Indians:
Ryan Rickelton (wk)
Rohit Sharma
Suryakumar Yadav
Tilak Varma
Will Jacks
Hardik Pandya ©
Mitchell Santner
Jasprit Bumrah
Vignesh Puthur
Trent Boult
Deepak Chahar
Royal Challengers Bengaluru:
Philip Salt
Virat Kohli
Devdutt Padikkal
Rajat Patidar (c)
Liam Livingstone
Jitesh Sharma (wk)
Tim David
Krunal Pandya
Bhuvneshwar Kumar
Josh Hazlewood
Yash Dayal
This encounter promises to be a thrilling contest as MI seeks to capitalize on home conditions and the return of key players, while RCB aims to continue their strong performance in the tournament.
