Riyan Parag gets Rohit Sharma, MI lose both openers in rapid succession

Rajasthan Royals won the toss and opted to bowl first against the resurgent Mumbai Indians, hoping to disrupt the momentum of the five-time champions in a high-stakes IPL 2025 clash on Thursday.

Despite a season marked by inconsistency and missed opportunities, the Royals have found renewed hope in teenage sensation Vaibhav Suryavanshi. The 14-year-old prodigy has taken the tournament by storm, potentially playing the knock of the season earlier this week. His rapid rise has provided a silver lining in what has otherwise been a turbulent campaign.

While the Royals still possess a slim mathematical chance of qualifying for the play-offs, the management appears to have reconciled with the reality of their standing. A side strain has sidelined captain Sanju Samson since April 16, paving the way for Suryavanshi`s fairytale debut. In just three innings, the southpaw has become the focal point of the cricketing conversation.

With Samson still unavailable, Suryavanshi will once again partner Yashasvi Jaiswal at the top. Their electrifying 166-run stand against Gujarat Titans made light work of a daunting 210-run chase, showcasing a fearless brand of cricket. But Thursday presents a sterner test, facing Jasprit Bumrah, arguably the most feared pacer in world cricket.

In the middle order, Shimron Hetmyer has struggled to replicate his explosive best, with the sluggish surfaces further dampening his effectiveness. Rajasthan’s inability to close out matches from dominant positions has haunted them repeatedly this season.

Bowling remains a concern. While Jofra Archer has picked up wickets, he’s also leaked runs at nearly 10 per over. Sandeep Sharma too has been expensive, and notably, none of their frontline pacers boast an economy rate under nine.

For Mumbai Indians, the return of Jasprit Bumrah has catalysed their resurgence. The perennial slow starters are now on a five-match winning streak under Hardik Pandya’s leadership, climbing to the summit of the points table. 

Another bright spot for Mumbai has been Corbin Bosch, who impressed on debut with a strike rate of 200 and a crucial wicket. With seasoned stars like Rohit Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav firing again, Mumbai appear to be peaking at the perfect time.

RR vs MI, IPL 2025 live updates: Toss

Rajasthan`s Riyan Parag wins toss, opts to bowl first against Mumbai Indians.

RR vs MI, IPL 2025 live updates: Playing XIs

Mumbai Indians: Rohit Sharma, Ryan Rickelton (wk), Will Jacks, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya (c), Naman Dhir, Corbin Bosch, Deepak Chahar, Trent Boult, Jasprit Bumrah

Rajasthan Royals Playing XI: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Nitish Rana, Riyan Parag (c), Dhruv Jurel (wk), Shimron Hetmyer, Jofra Archer, Maheesh Theekshana, Kumar Kartikeya, Akash Madhwal

RR vs MI, IPL 2025 live updates: Match begins!

Rohit Sharma strides out to the middle alongside Ryan Rickelton to open the innings for Mumbai Indians. The Sawai Mansingh Stadium crowd is buzzing with anticipation as Jofra Archer readies himself to deliver the first over.

MI: 123/2 (13)

Rajasthan Royals strike again, with Riyan Parag removing Rohit Sharma. In a matter of moments, both openers are back in the hut. Parag bowled a full delivery wide outside off, and Rohit, looking to clear long-off, reached out but got an outside edge. The ball went straight to Jaiswal, who made no mistake in taking the catch at long-off.

MI: 120/1 (12)

Maheesh Theekshana breaks MI’s momentum by dismissing the in-form Ryan Rickelton. Theekshana bowled a flat delivery on leg-stump, which Rickelton attempted to pull across the line but missed. The ball went through to uproot the leg stump, and Theekshana celebrates the crucial breakthrough. The Royals badly needed that wicket.

MI: 90/0 (9)

Ryan Rickelton brings up a brisk half-century, showcasing an aggressive intent at the crease. This is also the first time in IPL 2025 that Mumbai Indians have gone wicketless in the Powerplay.

MI: 45/0 (5)

After 5 overs, Mumbai Indians are off to a solid start at 45 without loss. Rohit Sharma and Ryan Rickelton are steadily building a platform for a big total.

MI: 16/0 (3)

Ryan Rickelton struggled to connect with a couple of sweep shots, while Rohit Sharma kept the scoreboard ticking with smart strike rotation.

Maheesh Theekshana bowled a disciplined third over, giving away just seven runs, including a boundary on the final delivery. His subtle variations in length and pace created pressure, especially with deliveries that angled into Rickelton’s pads and disrupted his rhythm.

This article first appeared on Mid Day