Five-time champions Mumbai Indians (MI) will take on Rajasthan Royals (RR) in Match 14 of the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Monday. The Royals, led by Sanju Samson, will look to continue their winning trend in this year’s IPL. RR started their IPL 2024 campaign with a 20-run win against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG). They later defeated Delhi Capitals (DC) by 12 runs in their previous match.
RR are third in the rankings after winning two consecutive matches.
On the other hand, five-time champions MI are yet to open their account in this year’s IPL under new captain Hardik Pandya.
MI lost by six runs against Gujarat Titans (GT), followed by a 31-run loss against SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) in their previous encounter.
Ahead of another enthralling IPL 2024 clash, we take a look at the predicted XIs of both sides.
RR predicted XI
Yashasvi Jaiswal
Flamboyant opening batsman Yashasvi Jaiswal has scored just 29 runs in the two matches so far. Jaiswal will be hoping to make a fiery start against MI on Monday.
Josh Butler
England batsman Jos Buttler is expected to open proceedings for the Royals again. Buttler, who has not performed up to his caliber so far, will look to improve his numbers.
Sanju Samson (captain/wicketkeeper)
RR captain Sanju Samson played a match-winning knock in their IPL 2024 opener. Batting at number three, Sanju scored an unbeaten 82 off just 52 balls to take RR to 193/4 in their 20 overs against LSG. His knock was peppered with three fours and six maximums. He will look to continue his scintillating form against MI.
Riyan Parag
Riyan Parag was another standout batsman for the Royals against LSG. Parag stitched an impressive 93-run stand with skipper Samson for the third wicket. The dashing right-handed batsman scored 43 off 29 balls, including one four and three sixes.
Shimron Hetmyer
West Indies batsman Shimron Hetmyer will retain his place in the Royals’ round of 11 despite failing in their opening match. The 27-year-old amassed 300 runs in 14 matches last season at a strike rate of 152.28, while also averaging 37.50.
Dhruv Jurel
Dhruv Jurel impressed for the Royals against LSG in Jaipur. Batting at number six, Jurel smashed 20 runs off just 12 balls to propel RR to a strong total. He will look to continue his good form against a star-studded MI bowling line-up.
Ravichandran Ashwin
India’s off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin had a slightly higher economy against Lucknow Super Giants, but he did take the wicket of Marcus Stoinis. He has been leaking runs this year but his ability to take wickets at crucial times in the match cannot be ignored.
Sandeep Sharma
Sandeep Sharma, an experienced right-arm pacer, bowled brilliantly in RR’s opener. The Patiala-born cricketer picked up the huge wicket of LSG skipper KL Rahul. He will look to add to his tally against MI.
Avesh Khan
India’s Avesh Khan was economical for RR in their IPL 2024 opener. The 27-year-old right-arm fast bowler chipped in with some good overs. He will look to pick some crucial wickets in their upcoming encounter.
Trent Boult
New Zealand star pacer Trent Boult has been RR’s bowling spearhead since 2022. The left-arm fast bowler once again provided early breakthroughs for the Royals as he dismissed LSG’s Quinton de Kock and Devdutt Padikkal in his first two overs. He will look to improve his score against the five-time champions to once again show his worth.
Yuzvendra Chahal
Yuzvendra Chahal has taken 188 IPL wickets in just 146 matches. The right-arm spinner started the new season well again as he took three wickets in the first two matches.
Impact sub
Nandre Burger/Rovman Powell
MI predicted XI
Rohit Sharma
Mumbai Indians’ veteran opener Rohit Sharma is the second highest run-scorer for MI this season with 69 runs and a hefty strike rate of 168.29. Sharma has been in excellent form this season and is likely to step up his batting at home.
Ishan Kishan (wicket keeper)
MI’s another impactful player, Ishan Kishan, will open the batting with Rohit. Ishan comes into this match off the back of an entertaining performance in the last match. He scored a quick 34 runs off just 13 balls, including two boundaries and four sixes. Expect him to produce a sensational knock against RR.
Naman Dhir
Trailing by one, 31-year-old Naman Dhir has amassed 50 runs in two matches for MI. He hasn’t exactly had a dream start in IPL 2024, but he is expected to put on a show with his explosive batting skills.
Tilak Varma
Mumbai Indians’ top scorer Tilak Varma is expected to leave Wankhede fans in awe with his electrifying batting. With 89 runs to his name in two matches, Tilak could wreak havoc on Rajasthan’s bowling line-up. He comes into this match on the back of a sublime 64-run knock against SRH.
Hardik Pandya (captain)
MI captain, Hardik Pandya’s inclusion in the playing XI against the Rajasthan Royals gives the team a significant boost. While the star all-rounder may not be off to a strong start, he does bring an explosive batting option and a crucial bowling element to add balance to the side.
Tim David
Known for his aggressive strokeplay and ability to score quickly, Tim David adds an exciting dimension to the middle order. He played an unbeaten knock of 42 runs in the last match against SRH. David could put on a show against RR at a high-scoring venue like Wankhede Stadium.
Romario Herder
Guyanese all-rounder Romario Shepherd has played just one match for Mumbai so far. But you can expect him to add crucial runs as he breaks down the order and gives MI the much-needed breakthroughs with his variations of pace.
Gerald Coetzee
Gerald Coetzee’s inclusion against the Royals adds a talented fast bowler to MI’s arsenal. The South African speedster has bagged three wickets in two matches so far. Known for his speed and ability to generate bounce, Coetzee adds a new dimension to Mumbai Indians’ bowling attack.
Jasprit Bumrah
Mumbai’s leading wicket-taker, Jasprit Bumrah, will be an important addition to the predicted XI against Rajasthan. Bumrah has taken three wickets in two matches at an economy of 6.25. His laser-guided yorkers could be a nightmare for RR’s batters as he would pull up to improve his numbers.
Piyush Chawla
Mumbai’s premier spin bowling option, Piyush Chawla brings a wealth of experience to the line-up. Chawla’s participation could be crucial in controlling the opposition’s scoring rate at a high-scoring venue like Wankhede. He has collected two wickets in as many matches.
Sham Mulani
MI’s second spin bowling option, Shams Mulani, will look to add depth to the bowling line-up. He has not yet opened his account with the ball for his franchise, but his performances domestically make him a potentially dangerous bowler.
Impact sub
Akash Madhwal
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