In the 37th match of Vivo Indian Premier League (IPL 2018), Rohit Sharma-led Mumbai Indians (MI) and Dinesh Karthik-led Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) will take on each other at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. Looking, at last, like a team wanting to defend its title, Mumbai Indians' road to redemption in IPL 2018 faces another tricky test, as they host a formidable Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL today’s match. MI's under-performing batsmen finally clicked against Kings XI and will look to replicate their performance against another top of the table outfit, KKR. Mumbai Indians jumped to the fifth spot in the Vivo IPL points table having won three of their nine games while KKR are sitting comfortably in the third position. Mumbai Indians have to win all their remaining five games to make it to the play-offs.
For Mumbai Indians, Suryakumar Yadav (340 runs) has been in great form and has scored runs consistently. But his opening partner, Evin Lewis, has been a disappointment and the MI will need to relook at its opening pair, especially after the West Indian's flop show at the Holkar International Stadium. The hosts, however, will be pleased that skipper Rohit Sharma is back among the runs and will be looking up to him to lead them from the front. Wicketkeeper Ishan Kishan, J P Duminy, Hardik Pandya and his brother Krunal, who played a splendid cameo against Kings XI, along with Man of the Match Suryakumar Yadav and Rohit Sharma, make up a formidable batting line-up. Out-of-form West Indian Kieron Pollard is expected to be left out of the Mumbai playing eleven again in favour of Ben Cutting. An area where MI need to improve is their bowling in the death overs. While New Zealander Mitchell McLenaghan was hammered for three sixes in the final over by the Royal Challengers Bangalore batsmen, Hardik leaked over 20 runs in the final over against KXIP. Jasprit Bumrah, Cutting and young leggie Mayank Markande (12 wickets) need to play their part to perfection if KKR's strong batting line-up is to be restricted. Krunal, too, needs to chip in with the ball along with Hardik. Significantly, MI have won only one of their four home games, against RCB, in IPL 2018.
On the other hand, the story for Kolkata Knight Riders are different with skipper Dinesh Karthik leading the charge in style. Following an emphatic six-wicket win over Chennai Super Kings, KKR have jumped to the third spot of the Vivo IPL points table and a third win on the trot will boost their qualifying hopes considerably. Karthik has amassed 280 runs in nine matches but is still outside the top-10 list of leading run-getters and he's followed by Chris Lynn and Andre Russell, with 260 and 207 runs respectively, to their credit so far in IPL 2018. The firepower of Sunil Narine at the top of the batting line-up and the emergence of youngster Shubhman Gill in the middle order provide KKR with one of the most devastating batting line up. Only vice captain Robin Uthappa has not played to potential as he failed to convert the start into big score. KKR also have three quality spinners - Narine (10 wickets), Piyush Chawla (8 wickets) and Chinaman bowler Kuldeep Yadav (8 wickets). And if Nitish Rana, who was suffering from a back spasm is back, it will add more variety to their attack. KKR pacers Tom Curran, veteran Mitchell Johnson and rookie Shivam Mavi need to step up and deliver to tame the resurgent Mumbai Indians at Wankhede Stadium.
Kolkata Knight Riders bowlers who might make an impact in today’s match (KKR vs MI): The Kolkata Knight Riders spin trio have been able to hold their own, though the conditions at the Wankhede Stadium have not been as supportive as they would have liked. Sunil Narine, Piyush Chawla and Kuldeep Yadav have together picked more wickets as compared to fast bowlers and likely to repeat the same in IPL today’s match. The expectations of the spin trio will be a tad higher also because of the opposition’s poor record against the slower bowlers.
Mumbai Indians batsmen who might make an impact in today’s match (MI vs KKR): Mumbai Indians have uncovered a gem in Suryakumar Yadav, who after establishing a reputation as a finisher, is revelling in his new role of opener. In his four innings as opener, the 27-year old has made scores of 53, 0, 72 and 34 and in the previous match also won Man of the match award but the Mumbai Indians management will need more from the rest of their top four. Evin Lewis and Ishan Kishan have reputations of being destructive batsmen, but they haven’t fired consistently – despite batting ahead of Rohit Sharma, who has a good record at the international level. With JP Duminy and Pandya brothers in the lower order Mumbai Indians will look to show up good performance against Kolkata Knight Riders.
Mumbai Indians bowlers who might make an impact in IPL today’s match (MI vs KKR): Almost all the MI bowlers will be wondering how to curb an onslaught by Sunil Narine at the top of the KKR batting order. Jasprit Bumrah will be bowler MI look forward to dismiss Narine with his raw pace and experience. Mayank Markande will look to destabilize the middle order of Kolkata Knight Riders.
What Uthappa said about Sunil Narine’s bowling and batting: Kolkata Knight Riders vice-captain Robin Uthappa has praised the all-round skills of his team-mate Sunil Narine but said that the West Indian has been doing better in the bowling department this IPL 2018. "Sunil (Narine) is someone who has always enjoyed batting, someone who's always been a batsman who can bowl than a bowler. But what he bowled and what he does with his bowling skill is that his batting got overshadowed," Uthappa told reporters ahead of KKR's match against Mumbai Indians.
What Piyush Chawla said about youngster Shubman Gill:Seasoned Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) wrist spinner Piyush Chawla feels Shubman Gill is a special talent following the young batsman's unbeaten 57 that helped the team beat the more-fancied Chennai Super Kings (CSK) by six wickets in an Indian Premier League (IPL). "Before the start of the matches, during our camp...I had said that he is a special talent. Today he proved it," Chawla said. Nitish was injured and he was doing well for us. We needed somebody who can graft the innings and he did exactly the same, what the team demanded from him," Chawla said when asked about Gill being pushed up the order. "Batting at No.7, I guess if you see the team combination, it's a team game so team comes first," he added.
What Rohit Sharma said about Mumbai Indians chances in the IPL 2018: After a much-needed victory over Kings XI Punjab (KXIP), Mumbai Indians skipper Rohit Sharma believes his side is still alive in the tournament and could make it to the play-offs. "I think we are still alive. Good performance tonight, and a much-needed win for us. We needed everyone to come and put a collective effort." "We started well with the ball. To restrict their batting unit on this pitch at this ground was a great effort. And to chase it down the way we did was really nice," the Mumbai skipper added. Explaining his decision to bat lower-down the order, the 31-year-old said: "The way we went about our chase in the first 10 overs, I felt we needed momentum. So, Hardik, the way he plays, was suited to do that."
Ajit Agarkar blames MI middle order for team's poor run: Former India pacer Ajit Agarkar today blamed the Mumbai Indians' middle order for the defending champions' poor show in the Indian Premier League. He also wanted MI skipper Rohit Sharma to open or bat at number three. MI are languishing in the last spot with just four points and are staring at an early exit. "Their (MI) bowling attack is quite potent, (but) they haven't again delivered. Their batting has kind of let them down - their middle order. They just somehow have missed the important moments in a game and have probably let themselves down," Agarkar said.
KKR have a strong core for next 5-7 years, says Robin Uthappa: Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) Vice Captain Robin Uthappa feels that the team now has a strong core group of players who can deliver for the next 5-7 years. "I think we have got a side that can hold strong core for the next 5-7 years easily," Uthappa told KKR's official website on the eve of their Indian Premier League (IPL) away tie against Mumbai Indians. "So for me, I think that is commendable to have that kind of side. It's commendable to have decision maker to have such setup," he added talking about KKR having a young set of players this time and miminal squad.
Brett Lee calls Shivam Mavi future of Indian bowling: Former Australian pacer Brett Lee has heaped praise on rookie Kolkata Knight Riders fast bowler Shivam Mavi, saying he is the future of Indian bowling. Mavi, who was part of the World Cup-winning U-19 team led by Prithvi Shaw, had impressed everyone with his performance. Now, he is part of the Kolkata Knight Riders in the ongoing Indian Premier League and has taken three wickets in seven games so far. "I think Mavi has got everything. His actions are beautiful and he packs himself as a fully furnished bowler. "With youngsters like Mavi, it's extremely important to play with confidence, enjoying the spirit of the game," Lee, a Star Sports Select Dugout expert, was quoted as saying in a media release. "He knows what he is doing and it looks like he really enjoys his cricket. I think Mavi for me is the future for Indian bowlers," added Lee, who in his prime troubled even top-notch batsmen with his pace.
Team head to head ahead of Mumbai Indians vs Kolkata Knight Riders (MI vs KKR) match
Overall:
Matches – 21, Mumbai Indians won – 16, Kolkata Knight Riders won – 5
At the Wankhede Stadium:
Matches – 7, Mumbai Indians won – 6, Kolkata Knight Riders won – 1