IPL 2024: Predicting MI’s Playing XI for their clash against KKR

In this article, we will discuss the Predicting MI’s Playing XI for the clash against KKR of IPL 2024. Mumbai Indians are officially from the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 season and now it’s time for the five-time champions to spoil the party of others. They defeated Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in their last match and their next prey will be table-toppers Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR).

The two are scheduled to clash at Kolkata’s Eden Gardens on Saturday, May 11. With eight wins from 11 matches, KKR are on the brink of qualification and a loss against MI will not hamper their chances. Going by history, MI are ahead of KKR in their head-to-head record with 23 wins from 33 encounters.

However, when the two met earlier this season, it was KKR who emerged victorious by 24 runs. Mumbai will aim to end their campaign on a positive note and at the same time, we may see some new faces in their line-up. In their previous match, Naman Dhir returned to the team while right-arm pacer Anshul Kamboj made his debut.

Here is the predicted playing XI of Mumbai Indians against KKR in IPL 2024:

Openers: Rohit Sharma, Ishan Kishan (wk)

Rohit Sharma and Ishan Kishan have had a good start to their campaign, often giving a flying start in the powerplay. However, the form of both has dropped significantly in recent matches. The former MI captain has been getting dismissed for cheap scores ever since scoring a hundred against Chennai Super Kings.

Meanwhile, the keeper-batter’s story has been similar in recent matches. In the last three matches, Kishan has only survived once after the powerplay but has scored just 32 runs off 36 balls. The dip in the form of the MI openers puts a lot of pressure on their middle-order batters and gives the opposition confidence.

Middle-order: Naman Dhir, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Nehal Wadhera, Tim David

Naman Dhir has got only limited opportunities this season and it is fair to say that the 24-year-old hasn’t done anything spectacular. In the last two matches, he managed to score just 11 runs, including a 9-ball duck. Suryakumar Yadav has been inconsistent in the early stages, but the star batter is now back on track.

He scored a 35-ball 56 against KKR in their previous clash and notched up a match-winning ton against SRH. Tilak Varma is currently the top-scorer for MI with 384 runs in 12 innings. However, the southpaw has been dismissed for single-digit scores in the last two matches.

Nehal Wadhera is one of the promising youngsters in the MI unit. He has not been a regular for MI this season but has managed to impress with the bat when given the opportunity. Tim David is tasked with the role of finishing and he often bats in the lower middle-order. He was scouted as a replacement for MI legend Kieron Pollard, but apart from a few cameos, the Australian did not live up to expectations.

All-rounders: Hardik Pandya (c)

Hardik Pandya in IPL 2024 is not even close to what he was till the last edition. The new MI skipper struggled in both departments and failed to lead the team from the front. While the fast-bowling all-rounder has claimed seven wickets in his last three outings, he is yet to make an impact in the batting department. With the T20 World Cup around the corner, the Indian vice-captain must get back to his old form.

Bowlers: Piyush Chawla, Jasprit Bumrah, Anshul Kamboj

Veteran spinner Piyush Chawla will lead MI’s spin attack. He is coming on the back of a three-wicket haul against SRH and will aim to produce similar heroics against KKR. Although MI are eliminated from the tournament, elite pacer Jasprit Bumrah is expected to feature in the upcoming match.

Bumrah is currently the second-leading wicket-taker with 18 wickets at an economy of just 6.21. He is a boon for MI and a nightmare for the opposition batters. His intimidating bowling action and accuracy on line and length make it difficult for the batters to find resistance. Notably, in the previous match against KKR, the right-arm pacer took three wickets conceding 18 runs in 3.5 overs. The addition of Anshul Kamboj and impact player Nuwan Thushara will bolster their pace bowling department.

MI XI: Rohit Sharma, Ishan Kishan (wk), Naman Dhir, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya (c), Nehal Wadhera, Tim David, Piyush Chawla, Jasprit Bumrah, Anshul Kamboj

Impact Player: Nuwan Thushara