🏏IPL 2023: Match 42 - MI vs RR on 30/04/2023 at 7:30 PM IST 🏏 - Page 3

As the IPL reaches a mega milestone of 1000th game on Sunday, there's a lot similar to when it all commenced, in 2008. Rajasthan Royals were not heavyweights, and yet, a wonder side that was unstoppable in that season. Champions too.

Fifteen years on, they look unstoppable again - five wins from eight games and second in the points table - the interregnum period of 14 years seeing only occasional sparks, but never as imperious as they were then in 2008 and now in 2023. Maybe, as they say about the world order, the more the league changes, the more it gets to the same position.

The Royals, with firepower at the top of the batting order in the form of Yashasvi Jaiswal, Jos Buttler, followed by Sanju Samson, Devdutt Padikkal, Shimron Hetmeyer, and their season's find, Dhruv Jurel, have become too hot for many a bowling attack. No wonder they are second among the teams who scored most (1476) runs in the season so far, behind CSK (1495).

It's a batting order that is in sizzling form and one that can test the best of attacks in the league. Their bowling is equally effective, with spin twins R Ashiwin and Yuzvendra Chahal, assisted by the swing and seam of Trent Boult upfront. It looks like a complete side with Samson as the skipper.

"Those guys are just confident. They are realistic, they go out and play their natural game. It has been great to come here early and I have seen the hard work that has gone in prior to the IPL start. They played with freedom and played some great innings. Yashasvi is an incredible find and the one to watch out for India as well - he has played some great knocks already," Boult, who will be back in the mix on Saturday after missing the franchise's previous game, said.

The Mumbai Indians used to be a complete side but in the past. The absence of Jasprit Bumrah and uncertainty over the availability of Jofra Archer has made it a weak-kneed bowling attack that got miserably exposed this season often, particularly in the last game in Ahmedabad, where they were hammered for over 200 runs in their last two games.

More than the runs conceded, the MI attack looking brittle in terms of personnel, having to depend on a veteran like Piyush Chawla for breakthrough and penetration has left them missing Bumrah like never before. Additionally, the batting lost its mojo suddenly, the problem starting from the very top. Rohit Sharma, the irrepressible skipper, is awfully out of form and it is not helping the Mumbai cause.

C'mon MI..

Aaj rohit ka b'day hai na?

Uske liye to jeet banti hai.👍

Guys,

this is the first time that MI and RR are facing each other this season na?🫣😬

match number 1000 of the IPL. Yes, this game marks a significant landmark in the tournament's history. And who better to make it memorable than the two teams involved today - Mumbai Indians and Rajasthan Royals. One is the most successful team and the other are the maiden champions. This season, however, the two teams are at opposite ends of the points table; Rajasthan Royals sit in third place while Mumbai Indians are languishing at 9th. There might be a six spot gap in the table but it is only a four point difference and a win for Mumbai will take them closer to the top half.

Mumbai Indians have had a topsy turvy season so far. They started with two defeats then bounced back with three wins in a row, but have gone back to losing ways. Their batting is coming together but it is the death bowling which has been a worry in the last two outings. The absence of Jasprit Bumrah is being felt and Jofra Archer too has missed more games than he has played this season, which has exposed the likes of Jason Behrendorff and Cameron Green to bowl the difficult bowlers. If they can sort that out or get Archer fit and firing again then majority of their problems would be solved.

The Wankende hasn’t been a really happy hunting ground for Mumbai Indians so far this season. In fact most grounds haven’t been happy hunting grounds for Rohit Sharma and co for the last couple of seasons. The franchise find themselves at the wrong end of the table at the halfway stage, and need a turn in fortunes soon. The good news is the batting core of Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav and Cam Green have been finding form. However, a Bumrah and largely Jofra less Mumbai Indians have looked meek with the ball.

Originally posted by: WildestDreams

Guys,

this is the first time that MI and RR are facing each other this season na?🫣😬

Cheers..

Rajasthan Royals, apart from those back to back losses to LSG and RCB, have been on a roll. They have beaten CSK twice and also the defending champions GT, whom they had not beaten on three occasions last season. The youngsters like Yashasvi Jaiswal and Dhruv Jurel are making the most of the opportunity and ensuring there's not much pressure on the senior batters. There's a good mix in the bowling as well and they have gone horses for courses - whenever the surface seems a bit slow, Adam Zampa has replaced Trent Boult and done a superb job. The only area of concern is their skipper's form. Sanju Samson is once again being inconsistent and if he can contribute in every game then it would be difficult to stop this RR team.