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Big picture: Time running out for MI turnaround
Mumbai Indians (MI) often take their own time to warm up their engine in an IPL season. Sometimes, they accelerate fast enough to get into the playoffs. In 2014, they made the top four despite losing their first five fixtures. In 2015, they won the title despite winning only one of their first five matches.
IPL 2026 looked like another slow-burn campaign for MI at the start, but at the halfway stage there aren’t many signs that indicate a dramatic turnaround.
MI have used the
most players this season – 22 – though injuries have played a part in unsettling their combination. Head coach Mahela Jayawardene said some changes were “forced,” but also that other “tactical” moves did not come off.
Their fast bowlers – apart from Jasprit Bumrah – have been expensive across phases, and their batters have struggled as a collective across conditions, with the exception of two hundreds from Quinton de Kock and Tilak Varma. They desperately need runs from Suryakumar Yadav, and runs, wickets/economy and direction from their captain Hardik Pandya. MI have suffered five defeats in seven games, and their most recent loss – to Chennai Super Kings by 103 runs – was their heaviest ever in the IPL. Time is running out for that fabled comeback.
Their opponents on Wednesday, Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), also started the season by losing three of their first four games, but have arrived in Mumbai on a four-match winning streak. They too had injury and availability issues but appear to have found a successful combination with the return of Pat Cummins, and the rise of Eshan Malinga and Sakib Hussain in their bowling attack.
SRH have won only one of their last six matches against MI, and only two of their last nine against them at the Wankhede. On current form, they stand a good chance of improving that record. Victory will take SRH level with RCB on 12 points.
Mumbai Indians LWLLL (last five completed matches, most recent first)
Sunrisers Hyderabad WWWWL
Ishan Kishan will return to the venue that was his home for seven IPL seasons, from 2018 to 2024. While MI played a big role in shaping his T20 career, he’s levelled up at SRH, taking his strike rate from 148.83 (2024) to 152.58 (2025) and 198.72 in 2026. His average of 39 in IPL 2026 is also his second highest in a season, and he’s provided a heady combination of ball-striking and consistency at No. 3. Kishan made only 2 and 1 against MI last season, and he comes into this contest on the back of a match-winning 74 against Rajasthan Royals.
Afghanistan’s 20-year-old spinner AM Ghazanfar is MI’s top wicket-taker this season, with eight wickets in five games. He’s operated primarily in the middle overs and offered control with an economy rate of 8.61. Ghazanfar is among the top five spinners this season is effective against both right-hand and left-hand batters. MI will hope he helps slow down the SRH express on Wednesday.
Team news: Rohit still uncertain
There was no confirmation on match eve on Rohit’s fitness after he missed their last three fixtures with a hamstring injury. He trained on Tuesday evening and is “progressing well,” but his participation will only be known on match day. MI have replaced the injured Mitchell Santner with South African left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj, but they may consider picking Will Jacks as a match-up for SRH’s left-hand batters.
Mumbai Indians (probable): 1 Rohit Sharma/Danish Malewar, 2 Quinton de Kock (wk), 3 Naman Dhir, 4 Suryakumar Yadav, 5 Tilak Varma, 6 Hardik Pandya (capt) 7 Sherfane Rutherford, 8 Will Jacks/Keshav Maharaj, 9 Krish Bhagat, 10 Ashwani Kumar, 11 Jasprit Bumrah, 12 AM Ghazanfar
SRH may not feel the need to tinker with their combination, unless they feel Harsh Dubey’s left-arm spin will be effective against MI.
Sunrisers Hyderabad (probable): 1 Travis Head, 2 Abhishek Sharma, 3 Ishan Kishan (wk), 4 Henrich Klaasen, 5 Nitish Kumar Reddy, 6 Salil Arora, 7 Aniket Verma, 8 Pat Cummins (capt), 9 Shivang Kumar, 10 Eshan Malinga, 11 Praful Hinge/Harsh Dubey, 12 Sakib Hussain
Pitch and conditions
Before MI collapsed for 104 against CSK in their previous game, the lowest score at the Wankhede this season was MI’s 195, which PBKS had chased down 21 balls to spare. The high-scoring patterns are expected to continue; though there has been dew in the last few matches, the anti-dew spray reduces the disadvantage of the team bowling second.
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