Can Bumrah's return spark MI to life against in-form RCB?
RCB, meanwhile, are looking to beat MI at the Wankhede for the first time since 2015
S Sudarshanan
06-Apr-2025
Big picture - Bumrah available, Rohit set to return
One of the running jokes of the IPL over its 18 seasons is that Mumbai Indians have needed the month of May to truly kick into gear. With the tournament usually starting in April in the early years, MI would typically lose a few games before getting back to winning ways in May. While the timelines may have shifted over the years, MI have continued to start slowly, and that's been the case in IPL 2025 too. With three defeats in four outings so far, they are getting close to danger territory. Teams typically need at least 16 points from their 14 league games to be in contention for the playoffs, and time may be running out for the five-time champions.
One bit of news will brighten the mood around the MI camp significantly, though. Jasprit Bumrah is available for selection. If any one player can transform a team's fortunes all by himself, it's Bumrah.
What he can't do, however, is fix MI's batting issues. In three of their four matches, their opening partnership has not lasted beyond the second over. Rohit Sharma's run of lean scores aside, MI have yet to settle on a batting order. Naman Dhir, one of their bright spots from last season and for whom they used the right-to-match card at the auction, batted at No. 7 in two games before scoring a 24-ball 46 at No. 3 in their last outing against Lucknow Super Giants. With Rohit set to return after missing that game with a knee injury, Will Jacks could move back to one-drop, which would push Dhir further down.
While Suryakumar Yadav's form has been a consolation for MI, Tilak Varma has looked scratchy enough to get retired out, and Hardik Pandya hasn't been setting the death overs on fire. And there are questions over MI's firepower - or lack thereof - lower down the order. On the eve of their match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru, head coach Mahela Jayawardene didn't sound too worried. "I want to be more flexible with the batting order given where we are and the talent and skill we have," he said in Mumbai on Sunday. "As long as we have productivity from those guys in different positions, it will give us advantage going forward."
MI's opponents on Monday, RCB, are one of the form teams so far this season. They are coming off a loss to Gujarat Titans at home but have won both their away games. That run has included a win at Chepauk for the first time since 2008. RCB have beaten MI only three times at the Wankhede, and haven't done so even once since 2015. With a unit in strong early-season form, with four of their batters having already scored half-centuries, this could be their best chance of ending that run.
Form guide
Mumbai Indians LWL
(Last three matches, most recent first)
Royal Challengers Bengaluru LWW
(Last three matches, most recent first)
Royal Challengers Bengaluru LWW
New loyalties
Tim David, Romario Shepherd and Nuwan Thushara, all of whom were at MI last season, are with RCB this time. Will Jacks and Reece Topley, meanwhile, were with the RCB squad in 2024, but have now moved to MI.
Team news and likely XII
Mumbai Indians
Bumrah and Rohit - who had a near-30-minute batting stint at the nets on Sunday - are set to return, with Ashwani Kumar and Raj Bawa - who did not bat or bowl against LSG - likely to make way.
Likely XII (probable): 1 Rohit Sharma, 2 Ryan Rickelton (wk), 3 Will Jacks, 4 Suryakumar Yadav, 5 Tilak Varma, 6 Hardik Pandya (capt), 7 Naman Dhir, 8 Mitchell Santner, 9 Deepak Chahar, 10 Trent Boult, 11 Jasprit Bumrah, 12 Vignesh Puthur.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru
Virat Kohli was not at training on match eve. RCB are expected to go in unchanged, the only point of contention being whether they need an extra spinner. If they decide to pick one, they could bring in either Suyash Sharma or Swapnil Singh in place of Rasikh Salam.
Likely XII (probable): 1 Phil Salt, 2 Virat Kohli, 3 Devdutt Padikkal, 4 Rajat Patidar (capt), 5 Liam Livingstone, 6 Jitesh Sharma (wk), 7 Krunal Pandya, 8 Tim David, 9 Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 10 Josh Hazlewood, 11 Yash Dayal, 12 Rasikh Salam/Suyash Sharma.
The big question
Naman Dhir scored an impressive 24-ball 46 after being promoted to No. 3 against LSG. With Rohit Sharma set to return, though, Will Jacks could move back to No. 3 and push Dhir down the order. Is that the way MI should go?
Who should bat at No. 3 for MI?
6.7K votesWill Jacks
Naman Dhir
Tilak Varma
In the spotlight: Tilak Varma and Tim David
Tilak Varma has made a sedate start to IPL 2025. After a breakthrough international season that featured two T20I centuries for India, he has struggled for fluency in the IPL. He began the season with a 36-ball 39 against Gujarat Titans, and scored 25 off 23 against LSG before being retired out as MI's required rate spiralled out of control. Tilak returns to the Wankhede now, but it hasn't been a happy hunting ground for him in T20s: he has a highest score of 38 in 15 innings here, and his strike rate of 124.07 is his lowest at any ground where he has batted at least five times.
Among the away players who could feel at home in Mumbai on Monday is Tim David, who made his name as a lower-order hitter for MI from 2022 to 2024. Since 2022, only Dinesh Karthik (208.33) and Suryakumar (197.09) have better IPL strike rates than David (188.95) at the Wankhede (minimum five innings). "Coming back to play in Mumbai, it's a wonderful place to play at the Wankhede," David said ahead of the game against MI. "[I] love batting here. It's a nice place to have as your home ground. It's not my home ground anymore. Hopefully I get a chance to do some damage out there in the middle tomorrow night."
Pitch and conditions
The weather in Mumbai has been hot with high humidity levels. The temperature is expected to hover around the early 30s on Monday evening. Despite the ground's relatively small dimensions, there have only been four 200-plus IPL totals at the Wankhede since 2024, two of them coming in the same game. Teams batting first have won four of the last eight matches here, but captains have preferred to chase, with the threat of dew in mind. The team winning the toss has bowled first in every IPL match here since 2024.
Stats and trivia
- Rohit Sharma has been dismissed 21 times inside the powerplay in 33 IPL innings since the start of 2023. He averages 24.95 in this phase in this time - only Wriddhiman Saha (20.85) has done worse among the 11 batters who have batted at least 25 times in the first six overs.
- Since the start of 2023, no one has scored more runs in IPL chases than Suryakumar Yadav (809). Among batters with at least 10 innings in chases, only Nicholas Pooran and Abhishek Sharma have better strike rates than Suryakumar (184.28).
- Tim David (31) has hit the most sixes in the death overs (17th to 20th) in the last three seasons of the IPL, ahead of MS Dhoni (27) and Rinku Singh (26).
- Bhuvneshwar Kumar needs one wicket to become the third-highest wicket-taker in the IPL. He is currently on par with R Ashwin and Dwayne Bravo on 183 wickets, behind Piyush Chawla (192) and Yuzvendra Chahal (206).
Quotes
"The modern day [cricket] is so tactical. We keep changing line-ups to match up certain bowling line-ups. I don't see how different [retiring a batter out] is. As a batsman, I have had times when you struggle to get through. [Tilak] batted well for us in the three games, built partnerships and got us to situations we need to. I still value that. He was trying and wasn't able to get going, so I felt it was my decision to throw someone else to get those two hits."
MI head coach Mahela Jayawardene explains his decision to retire Tilak Varma out against LSG
MI head coach Mahela Jayawardene explains his decision to retire Tilak Varma out against LSG
"Rajat is aggressive and he backs himself to play his role. I watch these guys bat during the game and I love watching them bat. He's very calm as a captain. He seems well-planned with his decisions and he's building on from a great environment in this team, so it's great fun to be a part of."
Tim David on RCB captain Rajat Patidar
Tim David on RCB captain Rajat Patidar
S Sudarshanan is a sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo. @Sudarshanan7