22 April,2024 11:46 PM IST | Jaipur | mid-day online correspondent
Rohit Sharma (Pic: AFP)
A resurgent Mumbai Indians will need to address their bowling woes as they look to exact revenge on table-toppers Rajasthan Royals in their reverse fixture of the IPL 2024 on Monday.
With three wins in last four games, MI have hit the recovery road to reach sixth spot in the points table after a poor start this season, while RR are on a rampaging run as they occupy the top spot with 12 points.
The five-time champions survived a late onslaught from Ashutosh Sharma to eke out a nine-run win over Punjab Kings in the last game.
It was once again Jasprit Bumrah, who was left to do the heavy lifting as he stood out with his three wickets. The star India pacer shone with the new ball and then returned to produce a breakthrough, and he did all this without conceding much.
With 13 scalps, Bumrah tops the list of the most wickets this IPL. He also has the second-best economy of just under six runs but while he has been on the mark, his bowling colleagues have struggled.
Gerald Coetzee, too, has made an impact with 12 wickets but has gone for runs. But Akash Madhwal and skipper Hardik Pandya have been inconsistent.
While Shreyas Gopal has taken a wicket each in the three games he has played so far, MI also need to use the experience of veteran Afghanistan all-rounder Mohammed Nabi as a bowler.
Also Read: Cheerleading is not everyone's cup of tea
In batting, former skipper Rohit Sharma's scintillating century, albeit in a losing cause, has been the highlight, while Ishan Kishan has been inconsistent. Hardik, too, hasn't made much of an impact so far, while Tilak Verma has done moderately well.
A huge positive for MI is Suryakumar Yadav's return to form. His 53-ball 78 against PBKS was the cornerstone of MI innings and on his day he can destroy any attack.
The last time MI faced the RR bowling unit, they looked like a rabbit caught in the headlights, as Trent Boult removed three of their top-order batters for naught and the veteran left-arm pacer will again be a massive threat.
Avesh Khan has been entrusted with the responsibility of bowling at the death and he has done well. Kuldeep Sen, too, showed his skills but he needs to work on his economy.
With 12 wickets, leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal has been RR's most valuable player in the bowling department, though off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has struggled.
For RR, Riyan Parag has been the batter of the season. The young Assam batter has reinvented himself and his 318 runs is one of the reasons why RR find themselves at the top of the pecking order.
While the batting has revolved around him, skipper Sanju Samson too has produced some fine knocks for the team, aggregating 276 runs so far.
England's Jos Buttler single-handedly chased down a 200-plus total to win RR their last match against Kolkata Knight Riders but the form of fellow opener Yashasvi Jaiswal has been a matter of concern as he has failed to capitalise on his starts.
Shimron Hetymer has also hit top gear when needed, rescuing the team against PBKS the other day.
Rajasthan Royals: Sanju Samson (c), Jos Buttler, Shimron Hetmyer, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel, Riyan Parag, Donovan Ferreira, Kunal Rathore, Ravichandran Ashwin, Kuldeep Sen, Navdeep Saini, Sandeep Sharma, Trent Boult, Yuzvendra Chahal, Avesh Khan, Rovman Powell, Shubham Dubey, Tom Kohler-Cadmore, Abid Mushtaq, Nandre Burger, Tanush Kotian, Keshav Maharaj.
Mumbai Indians: Hardik Pandya (c), Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Dewald Brevis, Jasprit Bumrah, Piyush Chawla, Gerald Coetzee, Tim David, Shreyas Gopal, Ishan Kishan (wk), Anshul Kamboj, Kumar Kartikeya, Akash Madhwal, Kwena Maphaka, Mohammad Nabi, Shams Mulani, Naman Dhir, Shivalik Sharma, Romario Shepherd, Arjun Tendulkar, Nuwan Thushara, Tilak Varma, Harvik Desai, Nehal Wadhera, Luke Wood
Wicket-keepers: Jos Buttler, Sanju Samson (C), Ishan Kishan
Batsmen: Suryakumar Yadav, Rohit Sharma, Tilak Varma, Tim David
All-rounders: Riyan Parag
Bowlers: Jasprit Bumrah (VC), Yuzvendra Chahal, Avesh Khan
Mumbai Indians captain Hardik Pandya won the toss and opted to bat against Rajasthan Royals in their Indian Premier League clash here on Monday
11: 46 PM: RR: 183/1 (18.4)
Jaiswal completes 100 in 59 deliveries and hits the winning boundary for Rajasthan.
11: 42 PM: RR: 175/1 (18)
Yashasvi is on the verge of completing a century.
11: 28 PM: RR: 160/1 (16)
Mumbai bowlers find no answers against Samson and Jaiswal. Rajasthan is in total control of the match.
11: 16 PM: RR: 135/1 (14)
Jaiswal and Samson are in a rush to achieve the target against Mumbai Indians.
11: 08 PM: RR: 113/1 (12)
Jaiswal and Samson continue to smash boundaries. Mumbai is on the back foot as Rajasthan reach 113 runs after 12 overs.
11: 00 PM: RR: 95/1 (10)
Jaiswal continues his approach despite losing the wicket of Buttler. Sanju Samson enters the middle.
10: 54 PM: RR: 74/1 (8)
Piyush Chawla picks the wicket of Buttler and RR reaches 74 runs after 8 overs.
10: 44 PM: Covers off! Paltan eye the wickets of RR openers as the hosts have accumulated 61 runs after 6 overs.
10: 10 PM: Rain has interrupted the match. Rajasthan is in the driver's seat with Jos Buttler and Yashasvi Jaiswal unbeaten on 28 and 31 runs, respectively.
10: 02 PM: RR: 61/0 (6)
Rajasthan Royals lose no wickets in their first powerplay. The duo completes a fifty-run stand.
9: 52 PM: RR: 35/0 (4)
Yashasvi and Buttler continue to smash boundaries all around the ground.
9: 42 PM: RR: 13/0 (2)
Rajasthan Royals start on a positive note without losing any wickets. Openers Yashasvi Jaiswal and Jos Buttler seem to be in fine touch.
9:18 PM: 179/9 (20 overs)
Royals put on a stellar display with the ball, especially in the death overs, with bowlers maintaining a tight grip throughout the first innings. Mumbai were restricted to a modest 179 despite Varma's scintillating knock of 65.
9:03 PM: 170/5 (18 Overs)
Only 12 balls remaining now for Mumbai Indians and they have come a long way from being down four wickets with just 50 runs on the board.
8:55 PM: 151/4 (16 Overs)
Chahal taken to the cleaners, three sixes off that over and it looks like Sanju Samson's plan to keep the leggie for the end has not worked how he wondered it would.
8:38 PM: 120/4 (14 Overs)
Time-out taken as MI bounce back with a tremendous partnership between Tilak Varma and Nehal Wadhera. Rajasthan Royals bowlers clueless at the moment.
8:24 PM: 71/4 (9.3 Overs)
Rajasthan very well in control of the contest at the moment. Chahal has been taken off, only time will tell if skipper Sanju will play him for the death overs.
8:13 PM: 52/4 (7.3 Overs)
R Ashwin and Yuzvendra Chahal come into the attack for Royals, with an aim to keep the flow of runs low so that pressure is maintained.
8:04 PM: 45/3 (6 Overs)
Mohammad Nabi lead the counter attack in the last over of the powerplay. 18 runs taken from that Avesh Khan over in the last over of the powerplay from Rajasthan Royals.
7:50 PM: 21/3 (4 Overs)
Suryakumar Yadav caught by Rovman Powell bowled by Sandeep Sharma. That is wicket number 2 for Sandeep. MI in a really tricky spot at the moment.
Match begins!
Mumbai Indians in deep trouble at the moment as both Rohit Sharma and Ishan Kishan walk back to the pavilion inside the first two overs. RR off to a fine start with Boult and Sandeep Sharma
