Wankhede Showdown: RCB Gears Up to Shatter MI’s Stronghold
Wankhede Showdown
Wankhede Showdown: Throughout the 18 seasons of the IPL, it has been a common joke that the Mumbai Indians have required May to really get going. In the past, MI would normally drop a few games before picking up their winning ways in May because the tournament usually began in April. Even while schedules may have changed throughout time, MI has always started slowly, and IPL 2025 is no exception. They are approaching trouble area after suffering three losses in their first four games. Time may be running out for the five-time champions, as teams normally require at least 16 points from their 14 league games to qualify for the playoffs.
However, one piece of news will greatly improve the atmosphere at the MI camp. There is Jasprit Bumrah to choose from. Bumrah is the one player who has the ability to change a team’s destiny on his alone.Wankhede Showdown
However, he is unable to resolve MI‘s hitting problems. Their opening pair has failed to last past the second over in three of their four games. Aside from Rohit Sharma’s recent slump in scoring, MI hasn’t decided on a batting order yet. They used the right-to-match card at the auction for Naman Dhir, one of their bright spots from the previous season, who batted at number seven in two games before hitting a 24-ball 46 at number three in their most recent encounter against the Lucknow Super Giants. Will Jacks may switch back to one-drop, which would force Dhir lower, as Rohit is expected to make a comeback after missing that match due to a knee injury.
Wankhede Showdown :
Hardik Pandya hasn’t been burning down the death overs, Tilak Varma has looked scratchy enough to be retired, and Suryakumar Yadav’s form has been a comfort to MI. Lower down the list, there are also concerns about MI’s firepower—or lack thereof. However, head coach Mahela Jayawardene didn’t seem overly concerned on the eve of their game against Royal Challengers Bengaluru. In Mumbai on Sunday, he stated, “Given where we are and the talent and skill we have, I want to be more flexible with the batting order.” “As long as we have productivity from those guys in different positions, it will give us advantage going forward.”
Wankhede Showdown
RCB, MI’s opponents on Monday, is one of the best teams in the league thus far. They have won both of their road games but are coming off a home loss to the Gujarat Titans. For the first time since 2008, that run has included a victory in Chepauk. At the Wankhede, RCB has only triumphed over MI three times, and not since 2015. This might be their greatest chance to break that run because they have a unit that is playing well in the early going and four of their batters have already reached half-centuries.Wankhede Showdown
Form guide :
Mumbai Indians LWL (last 3 matches, starting with the most recent one)
Royal Challengers Bengaluru LWW
New loyalties
This season, Tim David, Reece Topley, and Romario Shepherd—all of whom were MI players the previous season—are with RCB. Shepherd and Topley have not yet played in the 2025 Indian Premier League. Will Jacks, who scored a century for RCB the previous season, now plays frequently for MI.
Team news and likely XII
Mumbai Indians
Ashwani Kumar and Raj Bawa, who did not bat or bowl against LSG, are probably going to make way for Bumrah and Rohit, who batted for about 30 minutes on Sunday.Wankhede Showdown
Probably XII (likely):
Ryan Rickelton (wk), Will Jacks, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya (capt), Naman Dhir, Mitchell Santner, Deepak Chahar, Trent Boult, Jasprit Bumrah, Vignesh Puthur, and Rohit Sharma are the first six players.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru
On match eve, Virat Kohli wasn’t in training. With the only question being whether they require an additional spinner, RCB is anticipated to enter the game unaltered. They could substitute Suyash Sharma or Swapnil Singh for Rasikh Salam if they choose to select one.Wankhede Showdown
Likely XII (probable):
One Phil Salt, two Virat Kohli, three Devdutt Padikkal, four captain Rajat Patidar, five Liam Livingstone, and six WK Jitesh Sharma 7 Pandya Krunal, 8 Josh Hazlewood, 10 Rasikh Salam/Suyash Sharma, 9 Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 10 Tim David, and 11 Yash Dayal.
The important question :
After being moved up to No. 3 against LSG, Naman Dhir produced a remarkable 46 off of 24 balls. However, with Rohit Sharma expected to return, Will Jacks might drop Dhir to No. 3 and take his place. Is that how MI ought to proceed?
Tim David and Tilak Varma are in the spotlight.
IPL 2025 has seen Tilak Varma start slowly. He has had difficulty adjusting to the IPL after a stellar international season in which he scored two T20I hundreds for India. He scored 25 off 23 against LSG and 36 off 39 against Gujarat Titans to start the season.
retired when MI’s necessary rate became unmanageable. With a strike rate of 124.07, which is the lowest of any venue where he has batted at least five times, and a maximum score of 38 in 15 innings, Tilak has not had a good hunting ground in T20 cricket.
Wankhede Showdown :
Tim David, who established himself as a lower-order batter for MI from 2022 to 2024, is one of the away players who might feel at home in Mumbai on Monday. The only IPL players with higher strike rates than David (188.95) at the Wankhede (minimum five innings) since 2022 are Dinesh Karthik (208.33) and Suryakumar (197.09).
Before the match versus MI, David remarked, “I’m returning to play in Mumbai, and the Wankhede is a great place to play.” “I really enjoy batting here. It’s a pleasant location for your home field. It’s no longer my home field. I’m hoping that tomorrow night will give me the opportunity to cause some harm out there in the center.”
Pitch and conditions – Wankhede Showdown
Mumbai has seen scorching temperatures with significant humidity. On Monday night, the temperature is predicted to be in the early 30s. Since 2024, the Wankhede has only seen four IPL totals of 200 or more, two of which occurred in the same match, despite the ground’s comparatively tiny size. Due to the possibility of dew, captains have chosen to chase, even though teams who bat first have won four of the last eight games played here. Since 2024, the team that wins the toss has bowled first in every IPL game played here.
Statistics and humor :
- Since the beginning of 2023, Rohit Sharma has been removed 21 times during the powerplay in 33 IPL innings. During this phase, he averages 24.95; among the 11 batsmen who have batted at least 25 times in the first six overs, only Wriddhiman Saha has performed worse (20.85).-
- No one has scored more runs in IPL chases since the beginning of 2023 than Suryakumar Yadav (809). Only Nicholas Pooran and Abhishek Sharma have higher strike rates than Suryakumar (184.28) among batsmen who have played at least 10 innings in chases.Wankhede Showdown
- In the last three IPL seasons, Tim David (31) has hit more sixes in the death overs (17th to 20th) than either Rinku Singh (26), or MS Dhoni (27) combined.
- To move up to the third-highest IPL wicket-taker spot, Bhuvneshwar Kumar needs to capture one more wicket. At 183 wickets, he is now behind Yuzvendra Chahal (206), Piyush Chawla (192), and R Ashwin and Dwayne Bravo.
Quotes : Wankhede Showdown
“Cricket in the current day is more tactical. To accommodate certain bowling lineups, we frequently switch up our lineups. I fail to see how [retiring a batter out] is any different. I know from experience as a batsman that sometimes it’s hard to get through. In the three games, [Tilak] batted well for us, formed alliances, and helped us get to the right places. I still cherish that. I believed it was my right to throw someone else to get those two hits because he was making an effort but couldn’t get going.”
Mahela Jayawardene, the head coach of MI, reveals why he decided to bench Tilak Varma against LSG.
“Rajat supports himself to fulfill his position and is combative. While the game is going on, I enjoy watching these men bat. As a captain, he is extremely composed. It’s a lot of joy to be a part of this team since he seems to make well-thought-out judgments and is building on the positive atmosphere there.”
Tim David on Rajat Patidar, the captain of the RCB.
