The 14th season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is all set to kick off on April 9. We are just hours away from the tournament opener between Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bangalore. The two teams will lock horns at the M. A. Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai from 8:00 pm onwards behind closed doors.
The clash will mark the return of the cash-rich league after a gap of over two years with the previous season taking place in the UAE. Both the teams will be missing some players owing to the bio-secure protocols. Nonetheless, the clash of the titans is all set to be a cracker of a name with some of the best in the business rearing to go on both sides.
Also Read | WATCH – Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers take part in photoshoot ahead of tournament
Team Preview
Mumbai Indians
The defending champions are yet again one of the most balanced sides going into a brand new season. With almost all bases covered, MI will be eyeing a hat-trick of IPL titles this time around to take up their tally to six. Although regular opener Quinton de Kock is set to miss the first game, the Indians have a plethora of options to fill the void.
While the side has almost all bases covered, their spin department remains to be sorted out. Although Rahul Chahar was impressive the previous season, he lost his charm as the league went on. It is yet to be seen if captain Rohit Sharma decides to give the young leggie a break early on and head towards the likes of Jayant Yadav or Piyush Chawla.
Royal Challengers Bangalore
Virat Kohli‘s RCB comes into the new season with a revamped batting line-up. Having made it to the playoffs in the last season, Kohli’s side will be looking to go that one step further and lift their maiden IPL trophy. Having roped in some big hitters for the middle order in Glenn Maxwell, Mohammed Azharuddeen and Dan Christian to take the pressure off AB de Villiers.
The side has also made some noteworthy inclusions in the bowling department. RCB has bolstered their pace bowling unit with the addition of Kyle Jamieson, Daniel Sams and Chritian in the line up. As of now, RCB look a very balanced side but much depends on how the signings turn up in the middle.
Ideal Playing XIs
Mumbai Indians
- Rohit Sharma (C)
- Ishan Kishan (WK)
- Suryakumar Yadav
- Saurabh Tiwary
- Krunal Pandya
- Kieron Pollard
- Hardik Pandya
- Rahul Chahar
- Jayant Yadav
- Trent Boult
- Jasprit Bumrah
Royal Challengers Bangalore
- Virat Kohli (C)
- Finn Allen
- Mohammed Azharuddeen
- AB de Villiers (WK)
- Glenn Maxwell
- Washington Sundar
- Kyle Jamieson
- Yuzvendra Chahal
- Shahbaz Ahmed
- Navdeep Saini
- Mohammed Siraj
Key Players
- Mumbai Indians: Rohit Sharma, Ishan Kishan, Jasprit Bumrah
- Royal Challengers Bangalore: Virat Kohli, Mohammed Azharuddeen, Kyle Jamieson
Also Read | “Umpire’s call with pitching in line and impact should be eradicated during DRS,” says Ben Stokes
Top picks for My Team 11 Fantasy Captain
Here are our three picks for probable My Team 11 Fantasy captain for MI vs RCB:
- Virat Kohli
- Rohit Sharma
- Ishan Kishan
Top picks for My Team 11 Fantasy Vice-Captain
Here are our three picks for probable My Team 11 Fantasy vice-captain for MI vs RCB:
- Jasprit Bumrah
- Mohammed Azharuddeen
- Finn Allen
My Team 11 Fantasy Team 1
Wicket-keepers:
- AB de Villiers
- Ishan Kishan
Batsmen:
- Virat Kohli
- Rohit Sharma
- Suryakumar Yadav
All-rounders:
- Hardik Pandya
- Kieron Pollard
Bowlers:
- Yuzvendra Chahal
- Mohammed Siraj
- Trent Boult
- Jasprit Bumrah
My Team 11 Fantasy Team 2
Wicket-keepers:
- Ishan Kishan
- Finn Allen
Batsmen:
- Virat Kohli
- Rohit Sharma
- Suryakumar Yadav
All-rounders:
- Hardik Pandya
- Glenn Maxwell
- Washington Sundar
Bowlers:
- Yuzvendra Chahal
- Kyle Jamieson
- Jasprit Bumrah
