IPL: Struggling Mumbai Indians face resurgent Sunrisers Hyderabad

Mumbai Indians face the improbable task of getting themselves back in the reckoning for a playoff spot as they face a resurgent Sunrisers Hyderabad, who made it to the top four after their last win. This will be the Sunrisers’ first home match this season.

Beating the Sunrisers at home will not be an easy task. Since being part of the IPL last season, the Sunrisers have recorded an impressive number of wins at home. This season, they’ve won four out of eight played.

Hyderabad have the best opening bowling attack in Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Dale Steyn. As for putting on a score, David Warner and Aaron Finch have been their best, while captain Shikar Dhawan seems to getting his form back. Mumbai’s comprehensive consecutive wins against the Kings XI Punjab and Royal Challengers Bangalore had given them some momentum, but their loss against the Chennai Super Kings, at the Wankhede Stadium that too, has set them back.

Mumbai captain Rohit Sharma and West Indian all-rounder Kieron Pollard have been successful, while Ambati Rayudu’s competent showing, including his 59 runs in 43 balls against Chennai, has helped the cause. Their young opener Chidambaram Gautam has been a pleasant surprised, but key players Michael Hussey and Corey Anderson need to perform much better.

Though they might feel the absence of Zaheer Khan, ruled out due to injury, the team still has plenty of experience in their ranks with the likes of Lasith Malinga, Harbhajan Singh, Pragyan Ojha and Praveen Kumar— who replaced Zaheer.