As the Indian Premier League (IPL) approaches its 1000th match on Sunday, it’s hard to ignore the similarities between now and the start of the league in 2008. The Rajasthan Royals were underdogs then, but managed to win the inaugural season, and are looking unstoppable once again in 2023, sitting in second place on the points table with five wins from eight matches. The Wankhede Stadium will host the clash between the Royals and the Mumbai Indians, a team struggling to find its rhythm this season.
The Royals have been in sizzling form, with a batting lineup consisting of Yashasvi Jaiswal, Jos Buttler, Sanju Samson, Devdutt Padikkal, Shimron Hetmeyer, and the young Dhruv Jurel, who has been their find of the season. Their top order has been too hot for most bowling attacks to handle, and they are second in the league in terms of runs scored, just behind the Chennai Super Kings. Their bowling attack, spearheaded by R Ashwin and Yuzvendra Chahal, with Trent Boult’s seam and swing, is equally effective, making them a complete team. Boult has been impressed with the team’s confidence and work ethic, especially Yashasvi’s performance, who he predicts will be a player to watch out for in the future.
The Mumbai Indians have been struggling this season, with a weak-kneed bowling attack, which has been exposed in several games, especially in the last match against Punjab Kings, where they conceded over 200 runs. Jasprit Bumrah’s absence and Jofra Archer’s uncertain availability have made matters worse. The batting lineup has also not been firing, with skipper Rohit Sharma woefully out of form, which has led to suggestions that he take a break. However, the team is standing behind him, and the coach, Boucher, has said that if Rohit wants to rest, they will consider it.
The Wankhede Stadium is known for its favourable conditions for batters, with a bouncy pitch that brings tall pacers into the equation. MI’s leg-spinner Piyush Chawla could be a point to ponder, as he has dismissed Sanju Samson twice in 36 balls, and could match up well against Hetmyer, who struggles against legspin.
Probable XI:
MI: Rohit Sharma, Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav, Anmolpreet Singh, Kieron Pollard, Hardik Pandya, Krunal Pandya, Piyush Chawla, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Arjun Tendulkar, and Jofra Archer.
RR: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Jos Buttler, Devdutt Padikkal, Sanju Samson, Shimron Hetmyer, Jason Holder, Dhruv Jurel, R Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal, Sandeep Sharma, Trent Boult
The upcoming match between Mumbai Indians and Rajasthan Royals is expected to be closely contested. Based on current form and past performance, Mumbai Indians are slightly favored to win with a probability of 55%, while Rajasthan Royals have a chance of winning with a probability of 45%.
