RR vs MI IPL 2024 Match Preview: Mumbai to fancy their chances against table-toppers Rajasthan Royals

RR vs MI IPL 2024 at Jaipur with Sanju Samson, Rohit Sharma and Jasprit Bumrah

Rajasthan Royals are ready to host Mumbai Indians at the Sawai Man Singh Stadium in Jaipur. The two teams will contest in match 38 of the IPL 2024. The night match is scheduled to start at 7:30 PM IST.

MI’s remarkable turnaround

Following three consecutive losses, the Mumbai Indians staged a remarkable turnaround, securing three victories in their subsequent four matches. However, as they face off against the high-flying Rajasthan Royals in Jaipur on Monday, relying solely on Jasprit Bumrah's brilliance may not suffice to secure a win.

Table-toppers Rajasthan Royals

The table-topping Royals have dominated, winning six out of seven games, with key contributions from Sanju Samson (276 runs at a strike rate of 155.05), Riyan Parag (318 runs at 161.42), and Jos Buttler (250 runs at 147.92), amassing a total of 844 runs among them. Mumbai, facing this formidable batting lineup, will require a collective effort from their bowlers to ascend the points table from their current sixth position.

Mumbai Indians’ bowling concern

Jasprit Bumrah has spearheaded Mumbai's bowling attack with 13 wickets at an impressive economy rate of 5.96. Despite inconsistency, newcomer Gerald Coetzee showcased his potential with a notable performance of 3 for 32 against Punjab Kings. While he struggled with an economy of 9.92 runs per over in his debut IPL season, Coetzee has managed to claim 12 wickets in seven games, placing him joint-second in the wicket-taking charts.

However, beyond Bumrah and Coetzee, Mumbai's bowling lineup has been lackluster. Their overall economy rate of 10.11 is the third worst among the teams, with an average of 31.67 with the ball.

Hardik Pandya and Akash Madhwal, both featuring in five games, have conceded over 11 runs per over, collectively claiming nine wickets. Shreyas Gopal, brought in to bolster the spin department in place of Piyush Chawla, has yet to make a significant impact. Additionally, the under-utilization of Mohammed Nabi has been detrimental, with the Afghan spinner bowling only six overs in four matches without any wickets to his name.

On paper, the Royals enter the match as favorites and will aim to conclude their final game in Jaipur on a positive note.

RR vs MI Squads

MI Squad: Hardik Pandya (c), Rohit Sharma, Dewald Brevis, Suryakumar Yadav, Ishan Kishan, N. Tilak Varma, Tim David, Vishnu Vinod, Arjun Tendulkar, Shams Mulani, Nehal Wadhera, Jasprit Bumrah, Kumar Kartikeya, Piyush Chawla, Akash Madhwal, Luke Wood, Romario Shepherd, Gerald Coetzee, Shreyas Gopal, Nuwan Thushara, Naman Dhir, Anshul Kamboj, Mohammad Nabi, Shivalik Sharma, Kwena Maphaka

RR Squad: Sanju Samson (c), Jos Buttler, Shimron Hetmyer, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel, Riyan Parag, Donovan Ferreira, Kunal Rathore, Ravichandran Ashwin, Kuldeep Sen, Navdeep Saini, Sandeep Sharma, Trent Boult, Yuzvendra Chahal, Avesh Khan, Rovman Powell, Shubham Dubey, Tom Kohler-Cadmore, Abid Mushtaq, Nandre Burger, Tanush Kotian