Hyedrabad: One team is itching to climb its way up the table while the other is struggling to get off the rut at the bottom. But IPL games are seldom played on paper strengths as the Sunrisers Hyderabad and Mumbai Indians will know when they clash at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium here on Monday night.
Having broken into the top bracket, the Sunrisers would want to surge further ahead from their current No.4 position to remain in contention for the coveted playoffs spot. Placed precariously at No.7, ‘mighty’ Mumbai have a mountain to climb though. With all their firepower, the defending champions have managed a mere four points from eight games, suffering six demoralising losses on the way.
Mumbai will need to quickly turn things around, and would want to make a fresh beginning on Monday, from a ground their captain Rohit Sharma and key players A.T. Rayudu and Pragyan Ojha are all too familiar with. Kieron Pollard too has played many a memorable knock here. However, it’s the overdependence on the West Indian that is hurting the bright blues. He leads the side’s batting averages with an impressive 40 plus but has Rohit and Rayudu at a distant two and three, with 28 and 26 respectively, reason why the ‘big’ side have averaged just 146 per game in the tournament so far.
Add to that the sharp Sunrisers bowling attack and Mumbai have more than a match on hand. Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s purple cap could be intimidating on the field. The swing king also has the best economy rate of 5.49 among those who have played more than a game in the current tournament.
Pace ace Dale Steyn has traditionally made the rivals dance to his tunes at this ground and leg-spinner Amit Mishra is buoyed by his brand new membership in the IPL’s two-member 100-wicket club. That Monday’s match is the first genuine home game for the Sunrisers is another cause for springs in the steps of Shikhar Dhawan and Co.
But the Eagles will have to stop feeding off David Warner when it comes to raising runs. Aaron Finch, Dhawan, K.L. Rahul, Naman Ojha have so far contributed only in bits and pieces and will have to do a lot more, like Irfan Pathan. Good time to bat themselves into form since Mumbai’s bowling hasn’t been incisive. Apart from Lasith Malinga, none has been in his elements — Harbhajan Singh and Corey Anderson have taken 6 and 4 wickets in the eight matches they have played so far. Time for a ball.
