Mumbai Indians
The Mumbai Indians have been inconsistent this season, despite being five-time champions. After a losing start, they briefly showed promise, but then lost two consecutive matches and now sit in 8th place on the points table. With half the matches played already, they will need to win more games to have a chance at a top-4 finish.
The team’s performances have been mediocre in all areas. The opening pair of Ishan Kishan and Rohit Sharma have been inconsistent, with Rohit Sharma struggling to hit the ball on several occasions. There has been speculation that he may be carrying a minor injury and could take a break.
While Cameron Green and Tilak Varma have played well in the middle order, the lower-order batsmen have not capitalized on their opportunities. Surya Kumar Yadav has only scored one half-century in seven innings, and Tim David has not performed well as a finisher.
The lineup of Mumbai Indians is undoubtedly talented when it comes to batting, but it’s time for them to translate that potential into actual performances on the field. Given the team’s bowling attack, they need to score 10-15 runs more than the par score to be competitive in the IPL.
Speaking of bowling, Piyush Chawla has been the standout bowler with 11 wickets, but the team lacks experienced spinners, which has resulted in leaking important runs, especially in the middle overs. The opening bowling pair is expected to be Jason Behrendorff and Arjun Tendulkar, with Riley Meredith and Hrithik Shokeen taking over in the middle overs. However, this bowling attack doesn’t seem to be at par with IPL standards and could be a weakness for the team.
Rajasthan Royals
After two consecutive losses, Rajasthan Royals made a strong comeback by defeating CSK by 32 runs in their last match. This victory should provide them with a lot of confidence heading into their next fixture.
The Royals have been performing well in all areas this season. Yashasvi Jaiswal and Jos Buttler form one of the most formidable opening partnerships in the league and will look to provide a solid foundation once again. While Buttler has been a bit subdued in his recent matches, he is known to score big runs and could be a valuable pick as captain for your fantasy team in the upcoming matches.
Sanju Samson, Devdutt Padikkal, and Shimron Hetmeyer have been consistent in the middle order, while Dhruv Jurel has excelled as a finisher.
In this match, Samson could be one of the players who benefits from the ball coming on to the bat in Mumbai, and he could score heavily. It’s worth noting that no team has hit more sixes or scored at a faster rate during the powerplay in IPL 2023 than the Rajasthan Royals.
The spinners have been the standout performers in the bowling department, as expected. Chahal is the leading wicket-taker with 12, while Ashwin is close behind with 11. Zampa played a vital role in the team’s win against CSK, taking 3 wickets. However, we don’t expect him to play in this match, as he may be replaced by a fast-bowler, ideally Boult if he is fit.
As the team awaits Boult’s recovery from a niggle, Sandeep Sharma and Jason Holder are expected to lead the pace attack.
