IPL 10, Match 2, RPS v MI: Mumbai Indians Predicted XI

Two-time IPL Champions Mumbai Indians will lock horns with Rising Pune Supergiant in the Maharashtra derby today to kick off their IPL 10 campaign. They have been one of the most competitive sides in the tournament and has gone on to lift the coveted title twice in 2013 and 2015. They have some exceptional players in their rank and it won’t be a surprise if Mumbai goes on to claim their 3rd title this time around. They have stuck to a core group of players through all these years which have paid them rich dividends. Guys like Lasith Malinga, Kieron Pollard and Harbhajan Singh have been with the team since the start and their wealth of experience will definitely play a pivotal role if Mumbai harbours hope of reclaiming the trophy. They will be missing out on the service of Malinga and Asela Gunaratne in the opening match due to prior national duty. So with less than 5 hours to go for the Maharashtra derby to commence here we have a look at the Predicted XI of Mumbai Indians Rohit Sharma (C) Rohit Sharma MI. (Photo Source: BCCI) The Hitman of Indian cricket Rohit Sharma is expected to open the innings with southpaw Parthiv Patel and will look to get back some form after a long injury lay-off. Sharma has been out of action since the New Zealand series in November last year so it will definitely be a big challenge for him to get into the groove. He was scheduled to play in the Deodhar Trophy but was later ruled out due to a knee injury. He has the ability to decimate any bowling attacks on his given day and his short arm pull off a fast bowler remains his trademark shot. Not many batsmen can execute the shot like Rohit does. But the only concern for Rohit and the Mumbai Indians team management will be his lack of match practice. He hasn’t played any cricket for the last few months but with a player of Rohit’s calibre, you might just see him come out all guns blazing. He started off his IPL career playing for the Deccan Chargers before moving to Mumbai Indians. Playing 142 matches in the IPL so far Sharma has amassed 3874 runs at a strike rate of 131 with an impressive average of 34. He has struck 29 fifties to go with a solitary century. Parthiv Patel Parthiv Patel of Mumbai Indians. (Photo Source: Surjeet Yadav/IANS) The Gujarat captain will definitely partner Rohit Sharma in the opening encounter and will look to get his team off to a flying start. The southpaw can be a perfect fiddle for Rohit up the order as the veteran cricketer knows how to find the gaps to perfection. He has been in and around the cricket since 2002 and his experience might prove crucial. His inspired performance in the domestic circuit enabled him to make a comeback in the national team as a replacement for injured Wriddhiman Saha. He provided some crucial starts up the order and never looked like playing international cricket after 8 years. He also led Gujarat to a Ranji Trophy triumph earlier in the year. In all Parthiv has scored 1927 runs in 103 IPL matches at a below par average of 21. He has a safe pair of hands behind the stumps and will don the keeping gloves. Ambati Rayudu Ambati Rayudu MI. (Photo Source: BCCI) Rayudu has been a part of the Mumbai Indians set up from the inaugural season and has played some crucial innings in the middle order. He has the ability to play the big shots and slow down when required. Though he is not one of those brutal hitters, he has the ability to play the perfect fiddle to some of the power hitters in the Mumbai squad. He can also be the makeshift wicket-keeper for the team if Parthiv Patel doesn’t find form early on. Rayudu hasn’t played for any other teams in the tournament and his close association with the franchise will definitely help them going into the 10th edition of the tournament. Jos Buttler Jos Buttler. (Photo Source: BCCI) The English wicket-keeper batsman has the ability to decimate any bowling attacks on his given day and can turn the match on its head in a matter of a couple of deliveries. He might not don the keeping gloves but walks into the team purely as a batsman. His brutal prowess with the bat definitely makes him one of the most dangerous batsmen in the tournament. In a crisis, MI can also afford to give the wicket-keeping duty to Buttler if required. With the big hitting abilities he possesses it might not be a good idea to bat him in the lower middle order. In all Buttler has appeared in 14 IPL matches, scoring 238 runs at a strike rate of over 138. Kieron Pollard Kieron Pollard of Mumbai Indians. (Photo Source: Sandeep Mahankal/IANS) This big Caribbean lad doesn’t require any introduction. He always lends the ideal balance to the team with his hard-hitting abilities and his dibbly dobbly medium pacers. He can torment any bowling attacks and make them look clueless. When on song, Pollard can smash the ball out of the park on a consistent basis and will look to smash some lusty blows in this tournament too. In the bowling department, Pollard always provides the captain with some crucial middle overs and has the ability to break partnerships at crucial junctures of the game. Pollard has been a part of the Mumbai Indians set up for a long time and in 106 matches, the big man has amassed 1958 runs at a strike rate of 147. He has also bagged 56 wickets at an average of 31. Hardik Pandya Hardik Pandya (Photo Source: BCCI) The Baroda all-rounder will definitely prove to be a match-winning option for MI going into this tournament after his impressive performances in the limited opportunities for the national colours. He has been a revelation for India ever since making his debut and has improved by leaps and bounds over the past couple of years. He can give the captain some good overs upfront but tends to leak runs in the death overs. So Rohit will look to finish his overs off during the first 15 overs. With the bat, he can play the big shots to perfection and can find the boundary on a consistent basis. He came into the fray with a whirlwind match winning knock against the CSK smashing Pawan Negi for 3 consecutive sixes to win them a nail-biting encounter. Hardik has appeared in 20 IPL matches so far and has amassed only 156 runs in his brief career besides bagging 4 wickets. Given his international experience this time around, expectation from Hardik will be higher. Krunal Pandya Krunal Pandya. (Photo Source: BCCI) The elder of the two brothers, Krunal Pandya is expected to get a game in. Like his youngster brother, the southpaw is also an all-rounder and has the ability to strike some lusty blows just like his brother Hardik. Even in the previous edition of the tournament, the southpaw made his way to a swashbuckling 86 off 37 deliveries against the Delhi Daredevils which gave Mumbai a big win by 80 runs. Along with his hard-hitting prowess, Krunal is more than efficient left arm orthodox spinner and pitches the ball in perfect areas more often than not. Despite going for a few runs here and there Krunal has the ability to break partnerships and provide his captain with some crucial wickets at important phases of the game. In 12 IPL matches, Krunal has scored 237 runs at a staggering strike rate of 191 and also has 6 wickets to his name. Harbhajan Singh Harbhajan Singh (Photo Source: BCCI) The veteran off-spinner will definitely play a major role if Mumbai has to reclaim the coveted trophy in this edition. He has been with the team since 2008 and has witnessed their rise to the top after three successive poor seasons. He doesn’t need an introduction and everyone knows how useful a bowler he can be especially with his experience. Despite not being in the best of bowling forms off late, Harbhajan continues to be an integral part of MI and his capabilities with the bat lower down the order will also be pretty useful for the franchise. He can really strike the ball a long distance and will look to smash a few more in today’s encounter if he does get a chance to bat. Tim Southee Tim Southee looks on during a training session at the IS Bindra Stadium on March 21, 2016, in Mohali, India. (Photo by Jan Kruger-IDI/IDI via Getty Images) The new ball bowler from New Zealand is definitely a force to reckon with but in pitches where there is no lateral movement and swing, he might struggle. Especially in the T20 format, the right arm pacer provides the team with a sensational start on occasions and at times goes for plenty of runs in the powerplay. He needs to work a bit on his death bowling as the former CSK and RR bowler has been smashed mercilessly by opposition batsmen especially during the end overs. With the bat in hand, Southee has the ability to clear the boundary ropes and can provide the franchise with some crucial runs lower down the order. In his IPL career so far, Southee has bagged only 19 wickets in 26 matches at a below par average of 43. With the bat in hand, Southee has the ability to clear the boundary ropes and can provide the franchise with some crucial runs lower down the order. In his IPL career so far, Southee has bagged only 19 wickets in 26 matches at a below par average of 43. Mitchell Johnson Mitchell Johnson. (Photo Source: BCCI) The former Australian pacer was bought back by Mumbai Indians in this year’s auction and will look to repeat his performance from the 2013 triumph. He was an integral part of the Mumbai Indians set-up and was instrumental in helping them win the title in 2013. With age not on his side, it might be a hectic tournament for the fast bowler but he will look to come out all guns blazing. Mitchell Mclenaghan will be another prospect in the squad who might give Johnson a run for his money but given his experience, Johnson might be the preferred choice at least for the opening encounter. In 43 matches, he has scalped 52 wickets at an impressive average of 25. Jasprit Bumrah (Photo Source: BCCI) The lanky fast bowler is a terrific death overs bowler and might prove to be the X-factor for Mumbai. Ever since making his national debut, Bumrah has looked a class act and has been their best T20I bowler in the last year or so. He was the leading wicket taker in 2016 as far as T20I’s are concerned and returned with 28 wickets from 21 outings. He has a terrific slower ball and an exceptional Yorker up his sleeve. In the limited over series against England, Bumrah bowled a sensational final over which proved his mettle as a death overs bowler. He will definitely be a crucial cog in their bowling line up if Mumbai hopes of winning the trophy for the 3rd time around. He will definitely be a crucial cog in their bowling line up if Mumbai hopes of winning the trophy for the 3rd time around.

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IPL 10, Match 2, RPS v MI: Mumbai Indians Predicted XI

Mumbai will kick off their IPL campaign in the Maharashtra derby against the Rising Pune Supergiant.

Krunal Pandya

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