Shaun
Not getting the services of a player like Jasprit Bumrah is a huge disadvantage for any team. But with everyone else “available”, Mumbai will get back their regular captain Hardik Pandya for the game. Hardik sat out Mumbai’s loss in their season opener against Chennai Super Kings.
Hardik’s importance in the Mumbai set-up is not just because he is the skipper of the team, it is also because he is a top-class all-rounder who can serve the team at multiple levels.
Mumbai lacked spunk in their lower middle-order batting in their previous game. Hardik, an acclaimed big-hitter, can help them on that front. As a medium-pace bowler, Hardik has been in fine rhythm of late and can form a good pair with New Zealander Trent Boult.
So Mumbai have their arsenal ready to raid the Titans’ fort in search of their first win of the season.
But the hosts too would be desperate for a victory on Saturday after beginning their season with a home defeat against Punjab Kings. For that, their bowlers will have to pull off a much better show against Mumbai than what they managed versus Punjab. Mohammed Siraj had bled 13.50 runs per over, while Kagiso Rabada was slightly better with an economy of 10.25. Spinner Rashid Khan was not himself as he gave away 48 runs from his four overs. The only bright spot for the Titans in bowling from their last game was left-arm orthodox spinner R. Sai Kishore, who took three wickets and had an economy of 7.50 even as Punjab looted runs, posting 243/5.
If the conditions are once again batting-friendly, theTitans should be wary of Mumbai’s batting might. Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma… They all can make mincemeat of bowling attacks.
Batting-wise, the Titans will be less worried as captain Subhman Gill, B. Sai Sudharsan, Jos Buttler and Sherfane Rutherford all got runs in their last game. But they will have to be careful against IPL’s new bowling sensation, the 24-year-old Vignesh Puthur. The left-arm wrist spinner from Kerala has not only turned the ball, he has also turned heads after he took 3/32 coming on as an Impact Player in Mumbai’s last game.
