Mumbai Indians will be counting on the return of captain Hardik Pandya as they look to take on the in-form Rajasthan Royals in an IPL match on Tuesday.Pandya missed MI’s last game due to illness, a setback that proved costly in their six-wicket loss to Delhi Capitals. His absence not only deprived the team of its all-round capabilities, but also forced a reshuffle of the team combination. When Suryakumar Yadav took over as stand-in captain, MI struggled to find balance, especially with the ball.The bowling unit looks inconsistent, with Corbin Bosch expensive and Jasprit Bumrah cheap but yet to take a wicket this season. Mitchell Santner has been the bright spot in terms of spin, but the overall attack needs to strengthen significantly.MI face a tough challenge against Royals who have been doing well this season. Rajasthan’s top line-up is particularly impressive, with Yashasvi Jaiswal and youngster Vaibhav Sooryavanshi providing explosive starts, while Dhruv Jurel adds stability in the midfield. Skipper Riyan Parag’s leadership was sharp, especially at crucial moments.Their bowling unit also performed well, with Ravi Bishnoi emerging as a key wicket-taker and Tushar Deshpande impressing in the death.
RR and MI head-to-head confrontation
- Total games played: 30
- Rajasthan Royals: 14
- Mumbai Indians: 16
RR and MI: pitch report
Guwahati has provided early help to the fast bowlers this season, especially in overcast conditions. In the only match so far, Chennai Super Kings were bowled out for 127, early moisture aiding seam movement before Rajasthan Royals chased it down with ease.Rain is expected in the afternoon, with skies clearing later and similar conditions expected. The new ball can provide swing and seam in the powerplay, making the initial overs crucial. Hitting the ball should get easier as the course dries out and dew may help chase teams under the lights.
RR vs MI: Predicted line-up
Rajasthan Royals Predicted XI: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Riyan Parag (captain), Shimron Hetmyer, Donovan Ferreira, Ravindra Jadeja, Jofra Archer, Nandre Burger, Ravi Bishnoi, Tushar DeshpandeImpact Sub: Sandeep SharmaMumbai Indians Prediction XI: Rohit Sharma, Ryan RIckelton (wk), Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav, Naman Dhir, Hardik Pandya (captain), Sherfane Rutherford, Mitchell Santner Santner, Shardul Thakur, Trent Boult, Mayank MarkandeImpact Sub: Jasprit Bumrah
RR and MI: Guwahati weather updates
The weather is expected to be mostly cloudy, with light showers in the morning and thundershowers in some areas in the afternoon. Temperatures are likely to peak around 29°C. In the evening, skies will become partly cloudy, but thunderstorms are still possible late at night, with temperatures dropping to around 19°C.During the game, the weather looks relatively stable, with partly cloudy skies and only about a 10% chance of rain.
RR vs. MI: Live broadcast details
The RR vs MI match will be played at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati and is scheduled to start at 7:30 pm IST. The match will be telecast on Star Sports Network and the live broadcast will be on JioHotstar.
RR vs MI team
Rajasthan Royals: Riyan Parag (c), Dhruv Jurel, Donovan Ferreira, Lhuan-Dre Pretorius, Ravi Singh, Aman Perala, Shimron Hetmyer, Shubham Dubey, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ravindra Jadeja, Sam Curran, Adam Milne, Brijesh Sharma, Jofra Archer, Kuldeep Sen, Kwena Maphaka, Nandre Berg, Ravi Bishnoi and Sandeep Sharma.Mumbai Indians: Hardik Pandya (c), Quinton de Kock (wk), Danish Malewar, Robin Minz (wk), Ryan Rickelton (wk), Sherfane Rutherford, Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Atharva Ankolekar, Raj Bawa, Corbin Bosch, Will Jacks, Mayank Rawat, Naman Dhir, Mitchell Santner, Shardul Thakur, Tilak Varma, Ashwani Kumar, Trent Boult, Jasprit Bumrah, Deepak Chahar, AM Ghazanfar, Mayank Markande, Mohammad Mohammad. Izar, Raghu Sharma.
