Mumbai: Mumbai Indians, the five-time Indian Premier League (IPL) champions, are under pressure to revive their faltering campaign as they host Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Match 20 of IPL 2025 at the Wankhede Stadium here on Monday.
After four matches, MI find themselves in a spot of bother with just one win and three defeats, raising questions over their team balance and leadership. The return of Hardik Pandya as captain has coincided with a poor start to the season, and while he showed glimpses of form with a five-wicket haul in the previous outing, Mumbai’s overall performance has lacked cohesion.
Their batting has been inconsistent, with the top order failing to fire in unison. Rohit Sharma, who missed the last match, has not yet found form, while Tilak Varma and Naman Dhir have struggled with strike rotation in crunch moments. The one bright spot has been Suryakumar Yadav, who has scored 171 runs at an average of 57 and a strike rate of 161.32, standing tall amidst the batting collapse around him.
The Wankhede pitch, known for its high-scoring games, will offer some respite to the hosts, who will look to their home advantage — having beaten RCB eight times out of eleven at this venue — to turn the tide. But they face a formidable opponent in Bengaluru, who have shown better overall form this season.
RCB come into the match with two wins and one loss, the latter coming against Gujarat Titans in a high-scoring encounter in Bengaluru. Virat Kohli, who enjoys a prolific record at the Wankhede with 574 runs in 18 games at an average of 44.15, will be central to their hopes. English all-rounder Liam Livingstone found his touch with a 54 against Gujarat and, along with Tim David and Jitesh Sharma, forms a dangerous middle order.
RCB’s bowling, often criticised in past seasons, has looked sharper this year. Australian pacer Josh Hazlewood has picked up six wickets in three matches with an economy rate of 7.26, while Bhuvneshwar Kumar has been reliable with the new ball. The spin department, led by Krunal Pandya and Livingstone, provides additional variety.
The pitch at Wankhede is expected to be flat and firm, favouring batsmen. Teams chasing have had better results at this venue, winning 65 out of 119 T20 matches. With both sides preferring to chase, the toss could play a crucial role.
As Mumbai seek to rebuild their campaign and RCB look to consolidate their momentum, Monday’s clash promises to be a high-stakes affair. While MI will be banking on home support and past dominance, RCB appear the more settled unit on current form.
Mumbai Indians Predicted Playing XI:
Will Jacks, Ryan Rickelton (wk), Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya (c), Tilak Varma Naman Dhir, Mitchell Santner, Deepak Chahar, Ashwani Kumar, Vignesh Puthur, Trent Boult Impact Player: Tilak Varma
Royal Challengers Bengaluru Predicted Playing XI:
Philip Salt, Virat Kohli, Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar (c), Liam Livingstone, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Tim David, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Josh Hazlewood, Yash Dayal Impact Player: Suyash Sharma
