Mumbai, Apr 29:
Mumbai Indians will hope for a massive turnaround in fortunes against an in-form Sunrisers Hyderabad, with the five-time champion’s campaign at stake in a crucial Indian Premier League clash here on Wednesday.
With five defeats in the first seven matches, and their most recent being their heaviest in history by margin of runs (103 vs Chennai Super Kings), Mumbai Indians (rank 9th, 4 points, NRR -0.736) have their backs firmly pressed against the wall in a season marred by no-shows from their top guns.
Comprising as many as four players from India’s T20 World Cup-winning squad, MI’s woes have been compounded by ordinary returns from skipper Hardik Pandya (3 wickets and 97 runs) and Suryakumar Yadav (110).
Tilak Varma’s maiden IPL hundred against Gujarat Titans did help MI snap a four-match losing streak, but their massive loss to CSK once again threw their faltering campaign in a tailspin.
MI also have had Jasprit Bumrah (2 wickets) languishing far behind. Usually preserved for breakthroughs in middle-overs and stifling oppositions at the death, Bumrah has uncharacteristically opened the attack for MI in the last two games since the other new-ball bowlers have failed to deliver.
Neither Trent Boult (1) nor Deepak Chahar (1) have been penetrative, and overall, MI have more often than not allowed oppositions to seize control in the powerplays with a lack of wickets and ordinary bowling.
Meanwhile, Rohit Sharma’s absence created a void which Danish Malewar (2, 0) hasn’t been able to fill in the last two games, and it remains to be seen if the former skipper has regained fitness after a hamstring issue.
With an injured Mitchell Santner being replaced by Keshav Maharaj, it also remains to be seen if Will Jacks finds a place in the playing XI. He had thrived in similar conditions in the T20 World Cup.
SRH, meanwhile, will feel they are primed to end a three-match losing streak against MI when they take the field in batting-friendly conditions of the Wankhede Stadium here.
Unfazed by an onslaught from the 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, SRH came out all guns blazing to record a second victory of the season over Rajasthan Royals.
Abhishek Sharma will be keen to make the most of his form after a quiet T20 World Cup. With 380 runs at a strike rate of 212.29, averaging 54.28 with one century and three fifties, the India T20I opener is back to his best.
Ishan Kishan (312) and Heinrich Klaasen (349) have again fired with the bat providing further strength to the 2016 winners, but more will be expected from Travis Head (186) who has had a quiet IPL so far.
The return of Pat Cummins with a measly spell in a high-scoring game would have pleased the SRH side, which sits comfortably at the third spot, priming themselves up for another appearance in the IPL playoffs.