In a battle that might afresh old wounds of the last year final, Delhi Capitals (DC) take on the defending champion Mumbai Indians (MI) on Tuesday 20 April. A sense of familiarity resides with the MI contingent as they will be playing their fourth match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 at Chepauk. Delhi, on the other hand, have played their first three matches at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.
DC have two wins in three attempts. Both victories were achieved by chasing down above-par totals. However, things will not be the same in Chennai, especially against Mumbai, a side that has consecutively outplayed its opponents despite putting modest totals.
The opening pair of Shikhar Dhawan and Prithvi Shaw can be too overwhelming for the opponents at time. Dhawan’s aggression, and his much-improved game against pace, has been an important asset for the team. A new challenge awaits him now, in the form of the slow, low Chepauk surface. As for Prithvi, a chink in his armour will be tested early in the game by a left-arm speedster, Trent Boult.
Delhi will rue the absence of Axar Patel, who could have walked in as the third spinner, along with R Ashwin and Amit Mishra. Lukman Meriwala is likely to make way for Mishra, who boasts a great record against Rohit Sharma.
Mumbai will be eyeing the third straight win of the tournament. They have defended low targets twice in a row, thanks to their star-studded bowling unit that stepped up to the challenge. With seven wickets, Rahul Chahar has been a standout performance in both victories.
Adam Milne was a bit expensive on his MI debut, against Sunrisers Hyderabad. Considering the presence of two left-handed openers – Dhawan and Pant – MI may give the nod to off-spinner Jayant Yadav. One must remember that Hardik Pandya will not be contributing with the ball due to a shoulder niggle.
The MI batters have not yet fired on all cylinders thus far in the tournament. While their top three have provided them with decent starts, the others have failed to carry on the momentum for the rest of the innings.
Head to head:
Mumbai Indians enjoys a 16-12 lead against Delhi Capitals.
Key Players:
Shikhar Dhawan and Prithvi Shaw: The DC openers have been in scintillating form. Runs have flown smoothly from their bat. MI will have to separate them as early as possible.
Jasprit Bumrah: Jasprit Bumrah has a terrific record against Delhi captain Rishabh Pant, whom he has dismissed five times in 33 balls. MI has often relied on Bumrah to bail them out, especially in low-scoring affairs.
Probable XIs
Delhi Capitals: Shikhar Dhawan, Prithvi Shaw, Steven Smith, Rishabh Pant (c & wk), Marcus Stoinis, Lalit Yadav, Chris Woakes, R Ashwin, Kagiso Rabada, Avesh Khan, Amit Mishra
Mumbai Indians: Rohit Sharma (c), Quinton de Kock (wk), Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Kieron Pollard, Krunal Pandya, Rahul Chahar, Adam Milne/ Jayant Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Trent Boult
Prediction:
Teams have struggled to come to terms with the slow conditions of Chennai, and expect DC to do so as well. Mumbai Indians to prevail over Delhi Capitals.