Mumbai to include SA star who rejected PSL offer; Sunil Narine returns for defending champions: MI vs KKR likely XIs

Two of the most successful teams in the history of the IPL prepare to face off at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, where a struggling Mumbai Indians team will host defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders. After a disappointing start to the campaign for KKR, they bounced back strongly in their previous match against RR, a dominant Quinton de Kock batting performance seeing them through in the chase.

QDK now prepares to face a former team, one that has so far struggled in the IPL season with two losses on the bounce. While MI have historically been slow starters before getting on a roll midway through the season, the failures of the last few seasons will mean they have less wiggle room when it comes to these early losses. MI need to get on the board, and quick, if they want to be in contention come the business end of this tournament.

MI have the options to tinker around with their team after a disappointing 36-run loss to Gujarat Titans, a second consecutive match in which their batting just didn’t show up to the party. Many were surprised to see Vignesh Puthur dropped after his impressive debut performance, and he could be on the cards for a return. Moving to the seaming track of the Wankhede, MI could also opt for an extra overseas seam option, with Corbin Bosch and Lizaad Williams on their bench.

MI’s batting did look much stronger with Tilak Varma at three, but it will be about execution from this point in. MI are the kind of team to stick with the young Indian talent of Robin Minz and Naman Dhir, even if they haven’t had an impact yet, and it would be somewhat surprising to see them move on from two youngsters they rate so highly this early in a season.

KKR’s equation is much simpler, with the team looking balanced and relatively settled. Sunil Narine has had time to recover from his illness, and should slot right back in for Moeen Ali, despite the Englishman doing quite well with the ball in the previous match. That will likely by KKR’s only change.

MI likely XI: Rohit Sharma, Ryan Rickelton (wk), Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya (c), Naman Dhir, Mitchell Santner, Corbin Bosch, Deepak Chahar, Trent Boult, Vignesh Puthur

KKR likely XI: Quinton de Kock (wk), Sunil Narine, Venkatesh Iyer, Ajinkya Rahane (c), Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Andre Russell, Rinku Singh, Ramandeep Singh, Harshit Rana, Spencer Johnson, Varun Chakravarthy