IPL Fantasy League 2016 Tips: Mumbai Indians vs Kolkata Knight Riders, Match 24

Transfers remaining – 0; Transfers remaining – 49

(Uncapped) Pravin Tambe out – Krunal Pandya in

Batting captain – Rohit Sharma

Bowling captain – Jasprit Bumrah

Differential – Jos Buttler playing at No.4

Batting captaincy options – Rohit Sharma, Gautam Gambhir, Robin Uthappa and Jos Buttler

Gambhir and Uthappa will be facing a top class pace bowling unit on a wicket that’s been assisting fast bowlers this season, so that rules them out. Despite his inability to kick on from the starts he has got so far, Buttler could be a decent differential as the only thing that stands in his way is not playing him at No.4.

I don’t have the 25-year-old anyway, so I am going with Rohit. If he sees through the powerplay, he should be fine. Expecting Parthiv to repeat what he did against Kings XI is naive; Rayudu’s best case scenario is a half-century.

Bowling captaincy options – Jasprit Bumrah and Mitchell McClenaghan

Gambhir hasn’t been consistent with the usage of his pace bowlers, so I don’t want to bank on any of the Knight Riders’ pacers. Between the two in contention, I only have Bumrah, which makes it obvious. The spinners, in general, wouldn’t receive much help from the surface.

Nature of the deck – Survive the first 6 overs, and you are good for a lot of runs

Uncapped picks – Krunal Pandya and Suryakumar Yadav

Krunal is likely to get promoted today to counter Shakib Al Hasan and Piyush Chawla, so if I will have to get only one, you know who it will be.

Mumbai Indians – where the match breaks

Swing’em out – When they move away from the Wankhede, they should seriously consider replacing Tim Southee with Corey Anderson, but today the Kiwi speedster will be needed to swing the Knight Riders’ top order out.

Don’t lose Rohit in the first 6 – The Knight Riders' best chance of getting Rohit out is with the new ball. The Mumbai Indians captain should play tight early on and then tee off when the deck eases out.

The winter is coming, Knights – Lots of starts, but nothing really big from Buttler so far. What makes it frustrating is it’s not like he has been troubled by spin either, except on dry decks. Mumbai have done well to stick with him and he needs to start paying them back.

Kolkata Knight Riders – where the match breaks

Again, seeing through the powerplay. With Southee expected to come into his own on this deck and McClenaghan in form, it’s going to be Herculean task for Gambhir and Co.

Threats to Yusuf Pathan and Andre Russell – Both these players have issues with pace and bounce. Yusuf has had a history of it, and Russell was found out in the BBL. I don’t see them escaping Bumrah and McClenaghan at the death, and this is where the Knight Riders will concede the match.

Possible changes

Mumbai Indians – None

Kolkata Knight Riders – None

Match call – Chasing would make it a Mumbai Indians day. If they bat first though, it won’t be as easy, but I would still back them.