IPL 2016, MI vs RCB Playing 11: List of today's Probable XIs for Mumbai Indians vs Royal Challengers Bangalore

Another match, another loss. There seems to be nothing that the Mumbai Indians (MI) can currently do to arrest the downhill flow that their IPL campaign seems to have picked up. A 7 wicket loss to a David Warner inspired Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) was another dent in their title defence.

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Confirmed Playing XI

ROYAL CHALLENGERS BANGALORE Playing XI: Virat Kohli (C), Shane Watson, AB de Villiers, Travis Head, Sarfaraz Khan, Lokesh Rahul (WK), Stuart Binny, Kane Richardson, Iqbal Abdullah, Varun Aaron, Harshal Patel.

Pollard comes in and Guptill sits out for Mumbai!

MUMBAI INDIANS Playing XI: Rohit Sharma (C), Parthiv Patel (WK), Ambati Rayudu, Jos Buttler, Kieron Pollard, Hardik Pandya, Krunal Pandya, Harbhajan Singh, Mitchell McClenaghan, Tim Southee, Jasprit Bumrah.

A loss in their next game will give their season a look similar to Chelsea’s this season. That they also play in blue is just a coincidence. Just as one thought things could not get any more difficult, they face a Virat Kohli-led Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai in what promises to be a thrilling encounter.

Here we are analysing the probable playing XI for Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bangalore for IPL 2016 Match 14.

RCB too have had a flip-flop start to this season. Virat and ABD seem like they can score runs in their sleep while the talismanic Chris Gayle seems to be in a virtual slumber, scoring just a run in 2 matches. After losing the last game to a Quinton de Kock century, RCB will be hoping they can get back to winning ways at a Blue-washed Wankhede.

Before the tournament even began, both MI and RCB were dealt cruel blows in their bowling departments. Lasith Malinga (MI) and Mitchell Starc (RCB) will miss the entire tournament due to injuries and the impact of these losses are sowing on the bowling performances of both sides.

The West Indian duo of Lendl Simmons (MI) and Samuel Badree (RCB) also missing after successful T20 world cup campaigns are a bitter blow to both the teams.

Overlooked during the auction and getting a look in only due to Simmons’ injury, Martin Guptill will want to prove a point after a brilliant T20 World cup. Yuzvendra Chahal for RCB will have to shoulder the team’s spin bowling in Badree’s absence and after poor shows so far will want to buckle up to retain a spot in a weak RCB attack.

Both teams lost their previous matches but barring an injury or a tactical overhaul, one should not expect any major changes to the lineups.

Mumbai Indians squad:

Batting Department:

Insipid, uninspired and not thinking. These adjectives could be used to describe MI’s top order batting so far. Barring the chase against KKR, the batsmen just have not fired. The onus will be on martin Guptill and Rohit Sharma (if he opens) to give MI a rollicking start against an RCB attack that was taken to the cleaners in their previous match.

The middle order is shored up with the likes of English wicketkeeper-batsman Jos Buttler who will want to make his name in the competition and follow up on his big hitting exploits of the World cup. Similarly would Hardik Pandya. Kieron Pollard was dropped for the match against SRH and if he plays, would be expected to provide the fireworks lower down the order. Corey Anderson also could make his way into the side in place of Pollard but that would mean one of Southee or McCleneghan would miss out. MI have had decent hands from Harbhajan Singh and Mitch McCleneghan but cannot rely on their bowlers to provide hitting impetus everytime.

Bowling Department:

If their batting has been poor, the bowling hasn’t been top notch either. Woeful bowling at the death from the likes of Hardik Pandya (who hasn’t covered himself in glory in the IPL) and inconsistent bowling from death bowling specialist Jasprit Bumrah has been a major worry for the defending champions. Tim Southee in last game swung the ball about. Expect him to make a difference with his ability to bowl at the death with his variations. Krunal Pandya has done decently so far and is expected to retain his place alongside his brother.

Royal Challengers Bangalore:

Batting Department:

Kohli-ABD-Watson. Bowlers be afraid, be very very afraid! What more can you want as a team? Even without Gayle the batting is still strong. All of them are capable of batting out the full 20 overs and obliterating any bowling attack single-handedly. ABD and Kohli have been majestic. Watson has done well in his 2 outings too. With the cheeky Sarfaraz Khan to follow, RCB has a top heavy batting lineup. But in the rarest of rare events that the stalwarts fail, they don't have anybody to back them up. It will be interesting to see how they fare if the lower order does get a chance to bat.

David Wiese, the big hitting Protea all-rounder was included in the last match for the exact reason but didn't get a big enough chance to show his strengths. RCB would hope that his chances don't arrive too often.

Bowling Department:

If batting is their strength, then bowling is definitely their biggest weakness and RCB will have to come up with a very well thought out plan to contain MI's big guns. In the absence of Mitchell Starc and Samuel Badree their attack has lost its potency which was exploited to the full extent by the Daredevils in RCB's previous match. It will be up to the likes of S Aravind, Harshal Patel and Yuzvendra Chahal once again to be the prime wicket takers which puts massive pressure on young and inexperienced shoulders.

They do have a couple of allrounders in Watson and Wiese who can do their bit with the ball. Watson has proved time and again in his glittering career how effective his variations can be in this format and Wiese is something of a T20 specialist, although that hasn't been evident from his performances for the national side or in the previous match.

Teams (Predicted XI’s):

Royal Challengers Bangalore (in batting order):

Shane Watson, Virat Kohli (Captain), AB De Villiers, Mandeep Singh, Sarfaraz Khan, David Wiese, Travis Head (wk), Parvez Rasool, Harshal Patel, Yuzvendra Chahal,S Aravind.

Mumbai Indians (in batting order):

Martin Guptill, Rohit Sharma (Captain), Parthiv Patel(wk), Jos Buttler, Hardik Pandya, Kieron Pollard/Corey Anderson, Ambai Rayudu, Krunal Pandya, Harbhajan Singh, Mitchell McClenaghan/Tim Southee, Jasprit Bumrah.