🏏 IPL 2024 ~ Match 25 ~ MI vs RCB at Wankhede @7.30 PM IST 🏏

🏏IPL 2024 ~ Match 25 ~ MI vs RCB at Wankhede on 11/04/2024 

@ 7:30PM IST🏏

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) will look to bounce back from their losing streak when they lock horns with Mumbai Indians (MI) at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Thursday (April 11). 

Since Mumbai Indians won their first game when they last time played at the Wankhede, the Hardik Pandya lead side wouldn't be looking to make any changes to their playing 11. Bengaluru on the other has plenty on its plate as none of its foreign recruits have fired so far. They could do well to bring Vaijaykumar Vyshak and Mahipal Lomror back into the playing 11 as they have done well for the side which is heavily reliant on few players in both departments.

MI Playing 11 probables: Rohit Sharma, Ishan Kishan(w), Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya(c), Tim David, Romario Shepherd, Mohammad Nabi, Piyush Chawla, Gerald Coetzee, Jasprit Bumrah

Impact sub: Akash Madhwal for Surya or vice versa

RCB Playing 11 probables:  Virat Kohli, Faf du Plessis(c), Rajat Patidar, Glenn Maxwell, Cameron Green, Dinesh Karthik(w), Saurav Chauhan, Reece Topley, Mahipal Lomror, Mohammed Siraj, Yash Dayal, 

Impact substitute - Vijaykumar Vyshak for Mahipal Lomror or vice versa

Mumbai vs Bengaluru head-to-head

Total matches played: 34

Royal Challengers Bengaluru won: 14

Mumbai Indians won: 20

No result: 0

Big picture - Spin struggles of a different kind for MI and RCB

The security guards in the lower tier of the stands at the media end of Wankhede Stadium were kept busy on Wednesday. They all had 'ball retrievers' added to their job description for the evening.

Faf du Plessis had two stints at the nets. Glenn Maxwell one, Cameron Green one, Mahipal Lomror, Rajat Patidar, Tom Curran, Suyash Prabhudessai all one. And the prime focus was facing hitting spin. RCB had a plethora of net bowlers bowling spin and the batters' aim was to hit them as far as they could.

In the IPL since 2021, spinners have had an economy rate of 7.82 at the Wankhede Stadium. In the middle overs (7 to 16), they have returned 109 wickets at an economy of rate 7.76.

In IPL 2024, RCB have had a tough time against spinners in the middle overs. Their average of 50.75 for the loss of just four wickets may not be bad, but they have been the second-slowest scoring team against spin in that phase. Their strike rate of 125 is only better than KKR's 122.68 in the middle overs. Among RCB batters who have faced at least ten balls of spin in the middle overs, only Patidar (171.42) and Virat Kohli (142.42) have a strike rate in excess of 110.

All these point towards an area of weakness waiting to be exploited. However, Mumbai have not bowled a lot of spin at the Wankhede Stadium so far this year. Piyush Chawla and Mohammad Nabi combined for four overs in their previous outing, while Chawla was the lone spinner used for three overs against Rajasthan Royals. RCB's training methods suggested that they are bracing for a bit of spin test come match day.

So far in this IPL, Mumbai have bowled the least amount of spin - 18 overs of which Chawla has bowled 10. They have picked up just two wickets with spin and their economy rate of 11.22 is the worst among the teams this year.

In case Mumbai do decide to employ more spin, they have left-arm spinner Shams Mulani and Kumar Karthikeya, who can spin it both ways, to turn to. Will Mumbai change their methods to exploit RCB's potential problems?

In the spotlight: Jasprit Bumrah and Cameron Green

There has been a vast difference between Jasprit Bumrah and the other Mumbai bowlers. Bumrah has an average of 19.60 and an economy rate of 6.12 while the others have averaged 35.60 and leaked runs at over 11 an over. Teams have tried to see off Bumrah and attack the others, but as he showed against Capitals, how Mumbai spread his overs through the innings decides how much they manage to limit the damage.

Cameron Green returns to the venue where he was immensely successful in IPL 2023 - 229 runs at an average of 76.33 and a strike rate of 172.18. Ahead of the season, he was traded by Mumbai to RCB, where he has been shunted up and down the batting order and is yet to have a telling impact with the bat. He had a short bowling spell on Wednesday after which he had a 20-minute batting stint in which he middled almost everything. Will he turn his IPL 2024 form around at the Wankhede Stadium?

Stats that matter

• Kohli has been dismissed four times by Bumrah and three times by Chawla. But he strikes at over 152 against Bumrah and a shade over 130 against Chawla. Bumrah has also dismissed Maxwell five times in the IPL.

• Rohit Sharma and Ishan Kishan are only the second opening pair to score over 1200 runs for Mumbai Indians after Rohit and Quinton de Kock. Rohit and Kishan have 12 half-century opening stands, the most for Mumbai in the IPL.

• Mohammed Siraj is yet to dismiss Rohit in the IPL - 52 balls for 68 runs - while he has dismissed Kishan twice in 40 balls for 50 runs. On the other hand, Suryakumar Yadav has a strike rate of 225.92 against Siraj - 61 runs off 27 balls, out once.

Probable Best Players of the Match

Probable Best Batter:

Virat Kohli: Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s Virat Kohli could be the best batter in game 25 of the IPL 2024. With 316 runs in five games, including two fifties and a century in the last game, Kohli is currently the tournament’s highest run-getter and the current holder of the Orange Cap. Kohli will be keen on putting in another good showing against Mumbai Indians and potentially propelling his side to their second win of the season.

Probable Best Bowler:

Jasprit Bumrah: He could be the best bowler in the upcoming game against the Bengaluru-based franchise. He has maintained his exceptional form throughout the ongoing event and is eager to sustain his excellent bowling performance in the upcoming game as well. Bumrah has been MI's most economical bowler and with five wickets in four games, the right-arm pacer will be looking to pick those crucial wickets for his side.  

Thanks for the tag Parm.

May the best team win and make me happy.

Cheers..

Today’s Match Prediction: Mumbai Indians to win the match

Scenario 1

Mumbai Indians win the toss and bowl

Power Play score – 50-60

First Innings Score - 180-190

Mumbai Indians win the match

Scenario 2

Royal Challengers Bengaluru win the toss and bowl

Power Play score - 60-70

First Innings Score - 200-210

Mumbai Indians win the match

Thank you for the tag. Let's go SkY !