IPL 2026, RCB vs MI 54th Match Match Preview

IPL 2026, RCB vs MI 54th Match Match Preview


Big image: Lots at stake for each groups

Royal Challengers Bengaluru I knew coming into IPL 2026 that they’d discover a new residence in Raipur, at a floor that hasn’t hosted a single IPL recreation in ten years. The first fixture comes at a difficult time.
After they slipped in a banana-peel conflict in opposition to Lucknow Super Giants, RCB misplaced their maintain on a top-two spot on the factors desk. Moreover, Josh Hazlewood has gone at financial system charges of 12.25 and 14 in his final two video games, and Jacob Bethell you have got scored solely 43 runs in 4 innings.

Things may have been completely different for Hazlewood if Jitesh Sharma had held on to Jos Buttler’s catch throughout RCB’s recreation in opposition to Gujarat Titans. Ifs and buts apart, he has been focused and brought down – by Shubman Gill and Buttler at Ahmedabad and Mitchell Marsh and Rishabh Pant in Lucknow.

Bethell, too, hasn’t been in a position to have the impression Phil Salt had. He has been caught within the deep thrice within the powerplay with restricted fields. With Salt persevering with to be unavailable, Bethell should discover a approach to get among the many runs.

Mumbai Indians‘scenario is extra perilous. A loss will affirm their elimination in what has been a horrible season for them. They are coming off a win and are enjoying an away recreation with out residence benefit for the hosts.
Ryan Rickelton and Rohit Sharma returning among the many runs offers them a lift as does Naman Dhir’s helpful contributions. Their failing center order has been a downer, although.

Jasprit Bumrah’s stunning stretch of poor type makes MI’s bowling fragile. It has additionally left their powerplay bowling in a large number. Their financial system of 11.61 is the worst of all groups this season and their common of 49.78 is the fourth-worst.

Loads of issues want to come back collectively for ME to win. They could have some hope, although, as RCB have suffered back-to-back losses to lower-ranked sides.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru LLWWL (final 5 video games, most up-to-date first)
Mumbai Indians WLLLW

Team information: Suryakumar out there, Hardik doubtful

Phil Salt continues to be unavailable, so RCB will probably play an unchanged aspect.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (possible) 1 Virat Kohli, 2 Jacob Bethell, 3 Devdutt Padikkal, 4 Rajat Patidar (capt), 5 Jitesh Sharma (wk), 6 Tim David, 7 Romario Shepherd, 8 Krunal Pandya, 9 Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 10 Josh Hazlewood, 11 Suyash Sharma, 12 Rasikh Salam

Hardik Pandya has joined the MI squad in Raipur, whereas Suryakumar Yadav will arrive on Sunday morning. Pandya had missed the earlier recreation as a consequence of again spasms and wasn’t a part of the elective nets on Friday. He will proceed to be assessed.

Mumbai Indians (possible): 1 Rohit Sharma, 2 Ryan Rickelton (wk), 3 Naman Dhir, 4 Suryakumar Yadav, 5 Tilak Varma, 6 Hardik Pandya (capt)/Corbin Bosch, 7 Robin Minz/Raj Bawa, 8 Deepak Chahar, 9 Trent Boult, 10 AM Ghazanfar, 11 Jasprit Bumrah, 12 Raghu Sharma

In the highlight: Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Ryan Rickelton

In a season the place powerplay maximization is on the high of groups’ minds, Bhuvneshwar Kumar‘s effectiveness with the brand new ball has been a large asset. RCB’s bowling has fared higher when he has completed effectively early on. He has 5 three-fors and 9 powerplay wickets in ten video games this season.
After a number of single-digit scores and getting dropped, Ryan Rickelton you have got returned with a bang. He is contemporary off a match-winning 83 not out and made his career-best of 123 not out two video games in the past. Both of them got here at strike charges above 200.

The final IPL recreation in Raipur was performed in 2016, and solely two T20Is have been performed right here since January 2018. So there are numerous unknowns for the groups to cope with. The upside is that there will probably be a contemporary pitch. While the pitches in Raipur are historically sluggish, this one is predicted to be good for batting. That might be challenged by the rains that fell on Saturday. Sunday’s climate is ready to be truthful with the temperature going as much as 40 levels through the day and 24 levels at night time.

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