Jasprit Bumrah Returns for MI Against RCB. Hardik Pandya States, “This Gives Us…”

Mumbai Indians (MI) skipper Hardik Pandya won the toss and elected to field first in his side’s Indian Premier League (IPL) match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Monday. This match sets the stage for a clash of titans at the Wankhede Stadium, as Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, often referred to as ‘Ro-Ko’, face off for the first time since their stellar performances in India’s Champions Trophy victory just a month ago. While RCB is currently placed third in the table with two wins and one loss, having won both their away games against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK), MI finds itself in the eighth spot with only one win and three losses.

Speaking at the toss, skipper Pandya mentioned that Jasprit Bumrah and Rohit Sharma have returned to the side, with the former making a comeback after a long injury layoff.

“We are going to bowl first. This looks like a good track, and dew might come into play later. When the wicket is cool, it stays good, and when dew arrives, it gets even better. Wankhede has always been a pitch that favors both teams. It’s time for us to find some rhythm, build momentum, and make smarter decisions on the field. We’ve been playing decent cricket, but at crucial moments, we’ve missed out on certain aspects. If we can address those, we’ll find the rhythm we need. Mumbai has always supported us, and we’ve made sure this is our fortress. Playing at home feels different—the crowd is behind you, and you’re familiar with the conditions. Jassi (Bumrah) is back, and so is Ro (Rohit). Having these experienced players back adds extra fuel to our side,” said Pandya.

RCB skipper Rajat Patidar also shared his thoughts at the toss, saying, “This is a typical Mumbai wicket—great for batting. It’s important to play good cricket here. Bowling is challenging at this venue, but I’m confident in our unit. We’ve played a lot of cricket, and it’s clear what we need to do at every venue. We’re sticking with the same team.”

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

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (Playing XI): Philip Salt, Virat Kohli, Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar(c), Liam Livingstone, Jitesh Sharma(w), Tim David, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Josh Hazlewood, Yash Dayal.