IPL 10, Match 10, MI v SRH: Mumbai Indians Predicted XI

Two-time IPL champions Mumbai Indians had something to cheer about on Sunday night as they clinched a last over thriller against the Kolkata Knight Riders at the Wankhede. Nitish Rana’s robust stay at the crease ensured Mumbai inched closer to the target, which at one point seemed quite impossible. Eventually, it was Hardik Pandya’s composure against Trent Boult which saw Mumbai home with a ball to spare.

However, the batting woes continue for skipper Rohit Sharma and big West Indian Kieron Pollard. The two bigger names in the Mumbai Indians set up have failed to make a mark for themselves in this edition of the IPL so far. As far as Rohit is concerned, he’ll be itching to do away with his miserable form in the next game against the Sunrisers Hyderabad. Hitman will look to put on a powerful display of batting to make a case for his selection for the upcoming Champions Trophy.

Mumbai will face off against a batting-heavy Sunrisers side, who’ve had a solid start to their title defence. The Mumbai Indians will nevertheless have a home-turf advantage playing at the Wankhede, but they will be forced to rejig their bowling attack to a certain extent. Their batsmen, on the other hand, will have to be wary of the Sunrisers secret weapon Rashid Khan, who seems to be piled-driving his way through the opposition’s batting line-up.

Here’s a look at CricTracker’s predicted XI for the Mumbai Indians for their clash against defending champions Sunrisers Hyderabad.

Openers (Parthiv Patel, Jos Buttler)

Mumbai have played two matches, and on both occasions, this new opening partnership has provided a quick start to the team. Against RPS, the duo had put on 45 runs in just over 4 overs when Parthiv Patel was dismissed. While chasing against the Knight Riders, the scorecard read 65 in the middle of the 7^th over when Parthiv once again lost his wicket.

Jos Buttler and Parthiv Patel have been steady openers for the Mumbai Indians so far and have looked to attack from the very first ball. Both are quick between the wickets and look to rotate strike when the big shot is not on. England’s Jos Buttler seems to be enjoying his position as an opener and has played aggressive cricket at the start of the Mumbai innings.

Top order (Nitish Rana, Rohit Sharma)

The top order for the Mumbai Indians currently consists of two very contrasting players, purely on the basis of their present form. Young Nitish Rana has scored 84 runs in the two games that he’s played. On the other hand, the experienced Rohit Sharma has managed a mere 5 runs off 13 deliveries that he’s faced.

However, Rohit Sharma is a force to reckon with. Once he gets going, there’s little a bowling attack can do to stop him. Consistency has been the major issue for Rohit right through his career and he will look to make a statement in the next game with some big hits. Rohit will have to turn things around for himself and also lead from the front with the bat to ensure Mumbai bag a more convincing victory in their upcoming game.

Nitish Rana, on the other hand, has been quite fabulous for the Mumbai Indians. His 29-ball 50 set things up for Mumbai to stage a stunning heist against the Knight Riders. When the chips were down, this youngster showed great character at the crease. He’s struck the ball as clean as a whistle and has timed the ball beautifully. Rana’s form will be a great positive for the Mumbai Indians batting line-up.

Middle order (Krunal Pandya, Kieron Pollard, Hardik Pandya)

The Pandya brothers were instrumental for the Mumbai Indians in their victory against KKR. Both can hit the ball a fair distance as has been seen over the years in the IPL. Hardik has also showcased his big-hitting skills at the international arena. He adds valuable runs down the order for his side with some monstrous sixes.

In Krunal Pandya Mumbai have an accurate left-arm orthodox spinner. He isn’t afraid to toss the ball up and bait batsmen to play the big shot. He was the pick of the bowlers against KKR with figures of 3-24. His brother Hardik, on the other hand, can give Mumbai four valuable overs of pace bowling. This comes as an added bonus for captain Rohit Sharma who has the option of rotating his bowlers easily.

The big concern for the Mumbai Indians though has been Kieron Pollard. The big West Indian all-rounder hasn’t had much to show for in either department. Pollard’s big hits are well known in the cricketing community, but it’s been a while since he’s unleashed his power. After being taken for plenty against the Supergiant, Pollard wasn’t given a bowl against KKR. Nevertheless, he can chip in with four overs of medium pace and has some clever variations on offer.

Bowlers (Harbhajan Singh, Mitchell Johnson, Lasith Malinga, Jasprit Bumrah)

It must be said that the Mumbai Indians bowling attack played very unlike the usual Mumbai Indians bowling attack against KKR. The likes of Lasith Malinga and Jasprit Bumrah, both excellent executors of the yorker delivery, leaked runs. Although he picked up 2 wickets, Malinga went for 36, and Bumrah, 39. Harbhajan was tidy but went wicketless.

Against the Sunrisers Hyderabad, they’ll have to get their act together and put pressure on the likes of Warner and Dhawan early on. Mitchell Johnson’s experience and skill will add a freshness to the Mumbai Indians bowling line-up. Johnson’s fiery spells could contain the SRH batsmen, which will allow someone like a Harbhajan to chip in with wickets from the other end.

Both Harbhajan and Bumrah will look to make a lasting impression with the ball in order to cement their places in the Champions Trophy squad for India. Malinga, on the other hand, will focus on being more economical this time around.

The Mumbai Indians have a very well-balanced squad. A side which is well equipped in both departments, they surely have what it takes to put a halt to the Sunrisers’ winning streak. The Wankhede is the place you want to be when the two champion sides face off, in what is sure to be an action-packed game of cricket.