MI vs RCB: Overview
The Mumbai Indians, who have lost their last three games, will be reminded by history that it is not yet panic time. They’ve even won the championship despite losing four games in a row, to begin with. That reversal began seven years ago against the Royal Challengers Bangalore, who will be their next opponents in the IPL 2022.
There isn’t much else to take away from history for Mumbai other than a brief respite following the Pat Cummins onslaught. On the pitch, they’ll face an RCB side that’s riding high after two straight victories and the return of their own star Australian import. Last season, Glenn Maxwell was the major disruptor in the tactical cat and mouse game between these two sides, and he may be a nuisance for a struggling bowling attack.
MI vs RCB: The challenge for RCB post AB era
In the meantime, the Royal Challengers’ post-AB era has started off about as smoothly as they could have wanted. They have an ice-cold finisher in Dinesh Karthik, who has plenty of experience and a point to make.
His, as well as Harshal Patel’s and Wanindu Hasaranga’s, efforts have mostly compensated for the slight kinks in their chain – most notably in the roles played by Anuj Rawat and Mohammed Siraj – giving them a solid foundation on which to develop their season.
MI vs RCB: Match details
Teams: Mumbai Indians vs Royal Challengers Bangalore
Where: MCA Stadium, Pune
Time: 7.30 PM
Also Read: IPL 2022: RR vs LSG Match 20th Prediction
MI vs RCB: Tactics
Mumbai Indians
Rohit Sharma has loved employing a left-arm spinner and a leg spinner in combination against RCB to choke Kohli and RCB in the middle overs, followed by an over from Jasprit Bumrah, against whom the desperate opposition is ill-placed to take a chance.
The time may have come for Fabian Allen to take up the job of Krunal Pandya. The Mumbai Indians may contemplate replacing Basil Thampi with Jaydev Unadkat, who had his breakout season in 2017 on the two-paced Pune grounds.
Probable XI: Rohit Sharma (c), Ishan Kishan (wk), Tilak Varma, Kieron Pollard, Fabian Allen/Daniel Sams, Murugan Ashwin, Jasprit Bumrah, Dewald Brevis, Suryakumar Yadav, Tymal Mills, Jaydev Unadkat/Basil Thampi
Royal Challengers Bangalore
The decision by RCB to open with Anuj Rawat makes tactical sense because it provides a left-right duo and, with Virat Kohli’s presence, strengthens the middle-order. The 22-year-old has two half-century partnerships with Faf du Plessis in three games so far, while his solo scores are 21 (20), 0 (2), and 26. (25).
In order to maximize the 20 overs, RCB will need more bravery from a hitter who faces the majority of deliveries in the powerplay, especially if it means Kohli starting his innings in his least productive portion of a T20.
Probable XI: Faf du Plessis (c), Dinesh Karthik (wk), David Willey, Shahbaz Ahmed, Wanindu Hasaranga, Harshal Patel, Anuj Rawat, Virat Kohli, Glenn Maxwell Akash Deep, Mohammed Siraj
MI vs RCB: Trivia
Bumrah has a strong record against Kohli and Maxwell, dismissing them four and five times in the IPL, respectively.
Dinesh Karthik hasn’t been dismissed in his first three games and has a strike rate of 204.54.
Among openers who have played at least 20 innings since 2019, Rohit Sharma’s average of 27.90 is the third-lowest, while his SR of 126.98 is the fourth-lowest.
