The 14th edition of Indian Premier League will start with MI vs RCB. Due to the COVID-19 situation, no team will have the advantage of playing their group-stage games at home, so it would be interesting to see how teams adapt and change their strategies accordingly.
In the inaugural match of IPL defending champions Mumbai Indians (MI) will take on the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). So let’s see the stats related to the rivalry of these two teams.
Head to Head (MI vs RCB):
In the 27 games both sides have played against each other so far,
Mumbai Indians have been over the top with 17 wins while Royal Challengers have won the rest 10. In the last 10 games 8 have been won by MI while only losing two matches. In 2016 and 2017, RCB failed to win even a single match while the same happened in 2019.
Predicted playing XI of RCB for the first match of this season:
If we talk about the likely playing XI of Royals Challengers Bengaluru then there is a very chance of seeing Devdutt Padikkal open with captain Virat Kohli for RCB, and AB de Villiers at no.3. Maxwell could bat at either no. 4 or 5. The Kerala wicket-keeper batsman Mohammed Azharudeen is also likely to be behind the stumps for RCB.
Meanwhile, Dan Christian and Kyle Jamieson could be the two other foreign players in the predicted playing XI of RCB. Navdeep Saini and Mohammed Siraj will likely be the team’s two main pacers.
Royal Challengers Bangalore:
Devdutt Padikkal, Virat Kohli (C), AB De Villiers, Mohammed Azharuddeen (WK), Glenn Maxwell, Dan Christian, Washington Sundar, Kyle Jamieson, Mohammed Siraj, Navdeep Saini and Yuzvendra Chahal.
Predicted playing XI of the defending champions Mumbai Indians for the first match of IPL 2021:
Due to quarantine period Quinton De Kock is not playing in the inauguration match of IPL and in this situation Chris Lynn could slot in at the top of the order for MI in place of Quinton De Kock.
Kieron Pollard, Nathan Coulter-Nile, and Trent Boult should be the three other overseas picks for Mumbai Indians.
Mumbai Indians:
Chris Lynn, Rohit Sharma (C), Suryakumar Yadav, Ishan Kishan (WK), Kieron Pollard, Hardik Pandya, Krunal Pandya, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Rahul Chahar, Trent Boult and Jasprit Bumrah.
Pitch Report:
If we talk about the MA Chidambaram stadium then there is a trend of benefiting spinners, who have a high chance of having a continuation in this season too.
Notably, the stadium usually witnesses low-scoring encounters.
Player to watch out:
Rohit Sharma
The India opener is now synonymous with Mumbai Indians. The stylish right-hander, though, has not been at his absolute best in recent matches. But he has the capability to accelerate the inning at any time.
Last season in the UAE, Rohit averaged just 27.66, scoring a total of 332 runs at a strike rate of 127.69. He hit three half-centuries without a single hundred to his name.
Jasprit Bumrah
The newest addition to the husbands’ club in the Indian cricket team, Bumrah has been out of action since the second Test against England. A fresh and well-rested Bumrah could spell doom for the opposition, and Mumbai Indians will be banking on him to take the bulk of the wickets. Though the pitch is favorable for the spinners but with his yorkers Bumrah can play a major role in the success of MI.
Virat Kohli :
All the flak he gets whenever his teams fail, IPL or Team India, is totally undeserving and unjustified. Leaving the captaincy aside, as a player, he is perhaps the best in the business. Mr Consistent.
Glenn Maxwell :
The Australian will be donning new colors this season. He fetched a good amount in IPL 2021 auction despite having a bad season in IPL 2020. Regardless, he will be key for RCB.
Interesting Fact :
Interestingly, RCB and MI both have faced each other twice at the MA Chidambaram Stadium before. Both of the teams share a head-to-head record in Chennai is 1-1.
Prominent point:
When looking at previous records at Chennai ground, middle-order batsmen have scored most of the runs. One of the openers has lost his wicket early in most of the matches. The role of a batsman who bats at no.3 position is gonna be crucial at MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai.
Match Prediction:
Defending champions Mumbai Indians might enter as favorites, but RCB boast of world-class spinners in Yuzvendra Chahal and Adam Zampa.
They might dent the MI batsmen on Chennai’s spin-friendly wicket.
