Jasprit Bumrah crucial as MI bowl first to counter Sunrisers` big hitters

Opting to field first, Mumbai Indians will be banking on pace ace Jasprit Bumrah to rediscover his lethal rhythm as they take on a formidable Sunrisers Hyderabad batting line-up in what promises to be a high-scoring clash at the Wankhede Stadium on Thursday.

Bumrah, returning from a three-month injury layoff, has yet to find the razor-sharp precision that makes him a world-class threat. While he delivered a disciplined performance against Royal Challengers Bengaluru, his struggles resurfaced against Delhi Capitals, where he leaked 44 runs, with Karun Nair dismantling his usually reliable yorkers. Against SRH’s explosive top order featuring Travis Head, Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan, and Heinrich Klaasen, Bumrah will face a stern examination of his skill and stamina.

Meanwhile, MI desperately need former skipper Rohit Sharma to regain form. With just 56 runs from five innings at an average of 11.20, his poor returns have contributed significantly to MI`s disappointing start, leaving them seventh on the table with just two wins in six games. While Rohit`s ultra-aggressive approach hasn’t clicked, a silver lining may be SRH’s lack of left-arm seamers, his known weakness, unless Jaydev Unadkat is drafted in.

Suryakumar Yadav hasn’t quite exploded yet either, but Tilak Varma has responded strongly after being retired out against Lucknow Super Giants. With back-to-back half-centuries, 56 off 29 and 59 off 33, Tilak seems to be regaining his confidence. Naman Dhir, who has taken on the death-overs aggressor role, has also emerged as MI’s most dependable fielder, adding much-needed spark in the field.

Both MI and SRH come into this game on the back of morale-boosting wins. However, inconsistency continues to plague both sides. SRH, placed ninth only due to a lower net run rate (MI: +0.10, SRH: -1.24), stunned Punjab Kings with a dominant batting display, chasing down a mammoth target of nearly 250 runs with ease. Abhishek Sharma’s blistering 141 off 55 balls signaled a potential turnaround, supported by strong performances from Head, Klaasen, and Kishan.

SRH vs MI, IPL 2025: Teams

Mumbai Indians: Hardik Pandya (c), Ryan Rickelton (w), Will Jacks, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Naman Dhir, Mitchell Santner, Deepak Chahar, Trent Boult, Jasprit Bumrah, Karn Sharma

Sunrisers Hyderabad: Pat Cummins (c), Travis Head, Abhishek Sharma, Heinrich Klaasen (w), Ishan Kishan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Aniket Verma, Harshal Patel, Zeeshan Ansari, Mohammed Shami, Eshan Malinga