Can Mumbai Indians return to winning ways? | IPL 2021 Mumbai Indians vs Rajasthan Royals: SWOT analysis

The champion Mumbai Indians will be looking to get back to winning ways when they take on the Rajasthan Royals in match 24 of IPL 2021 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi. Here is our analysis:

The SWOT for MI:

Strengths: In tough times, MI could bank on its experienced players. MI has endured a slow start in previous years but the team has managed to turn the tide and managed to go the full distance. The players may be having a difficult season, but they all are match-winners with plenty of experience under their belts.

Weaknesses: MI’s much famous middle-order known for going big in the middle overs has failed to deliver this season. Until last season, Ishan Kishan, Hardik Pandya and Kieron Pollard used to hit sixes almost at will which used to help MI accelerate in the middle overs. But a combined total of six sixes have come from the bat of Kishan and Pollard. Pandya is yet to clear the fence this season. Moreover, Pandya has not been utilized as a bowler. So, Pandya’s place in the team is coming under some serious criticism.

Opportunities: With its regular players failing, Rohit Sharma could be looking to its bench and make some changes in the team. This match could be the chance for Chris Lynn to perform with the bat. Quinton de Kock has struggled and has managed mere 47 runs from four games. Lynn has played in MI’s first match of the season and hit a 49. Also, Rohit could give a go-to leg spinner Piyush Chawla. The spinner could provide good support to Rahul Chahar on slow spinning pitches of Delhi.

Threats: On slow tracks on Chennai, MI managed just two wins from five games. The team has now shifted to Delhi where it is slated to play four matches. The pitch conditions are not going to be much different from those at Chepauk. If the team learns to adapt and play on slow tracks then the team could be in for another tough leg. The team has to win at least three of the four games in Delhi. Looking at the form and the skills of the MI players, that looks a bit difficult.

The SWOT for RR:

Strengths: If there is one area where the team seems to be fairing well is bowling. Chris Morris has picked 9 wickets. Young pacer Chetan Sakariya is emerging as one of the find of the tournaments and has picked 7 wickets. Jaydev Unadkat was good in his comeback match and had picked a four-for. Mustafizur Rahman has 4 wickets and has ability to bowl variations to outfox the batsmen. RR bowlers would know that MI batsmen are already having a tough season.

Weaknesses: Batting has let the team down so far. Except for Sanju Samson’s hundred and David Miller’s half-century, no other batsmen has managed to come up with performances worth mentioning. The opposition bowlers are having an easy time against the RR batting. If other batsmen don’t step up now, then it would be difficult for the team to put together a string of wins.

Opportunities: Not many teams enjoy a good head-to-head record over the five-time champions Mumbai Indians. In such a scenario, the team could derive confidence from the fact that it has not led MI nose ahead in head-to-head comparison. In fact, RR has a handsome record over MI in recent past. In the last six matches between the two sides, RR have eked out five wins. Going by the history and form of MI, this is the opportunity for RR to get its campaign back on track.

Threats: RR has just four overseas players remaining in its squad. The team has not announced coming in of any new player so far. Team captain Sanju Samson is under criticism for his indifferent form with the bat. The team at the moment is staring at the threat of losing a grip on its campaign due to absence of quality overseas players and an underperforming skipper.

Head-to-head:

Matches played: 23

MI: 11

RR: 11

No result: 1

Form guide: Last five matches (most recent first)

MI: L-L-W-W-L

RR: W-L-L-W-L

Team news:

RR are short of overseas players. The team lost the services of Jofra Archer and Ben Stokes to injuries. And last week, Liam Livingstone and Andrew Tye pulled out of the tournament. The four foreign players that remain with Rajasthan are Jos Buttler, Chris Morris, David Miller and Mustafizur Rahman. Unless some in-country replacements are found, these four will need to serve the team till the end of the season. The team management has, however, written to the other IPL franchises seeking player loans.

MI have reported no fitness concerns.

Deccan Herald’s dream XI

Rohit Sharma (captain), Jos Buttler (wicketkeeper), Sanju Samson, Surya Kumar Yadav, David Miller, Kieron Pollard, Krunal Pandya, Chris Morris, Jasprit Bumrah, Chetan Sakariya, Rahul Chahar.

Impact player for MI:

Rohit Sharma: The team will be relying on the experience of skipper Rohit Sharma to prop up the fragile batting. With 201 runs, Rohit is MI’s leading run-scorer this season and has one fifty. He is accumulating runs at an average of 40.20. Rohit has also hit the most sixes for MI this year. It is now up to Rohit to turn things around with his bat and inspire others to do the same.

Impact player for RR:

Chris Morris: RR will look to their star overseas player Chris Morris to lead by example. The South African all-rounder has played a key role in the two wins that the team has mustered this season. Morris hit a brisk 36* against DC in a tricky chase. He then ripped apart the KKR batting with four wickets. At the moment, Morris seems like the only genuine match-winner in the team.