IPL 2018 Fantasy Guru: What your team should look like for MI vs KKR
Subs used – 0; Subs remaining - 27
(Uncapped) Prithvi Shaw out – Nitish Rana in/Shubman Gill in (if the former is unfit)
Uncapped preference order: Suryakumar Yadav, Nitish Rana, Krunal Pandya, Ishan Kishan, Mayank Markande, Shubman Gill
Captain – Suryakumar Yadav
Captaincy preference order: Suryakumar Yadav, Andre Russell, Evin Lewis
Differential – Jasprit Bumrah
Multipliers remaining – 2
Guru’s team ahead of MI vs KKR: S Yadav, E Lewis, V Kohli, AB de Villiers, L Rahul, N Rana, K Pandya, A Russell, A Khan, S Kaul, B Kumar
Wankhede isn't the same pitch that it was earlier this year, but this is an evening game, and the only evening game played at the venue so far saw a lot of runs being scored. So things could change today.
While Mumbai Indians have historically done well against Kolkata Knight Riders, largely thanks to their pace-heavy bowling unit, this year they have their task cut out this season with only two frontline pacers in the side, of which one is extremely vulnerable.
With Evin Lewis, Suryakumar Yadav, Krunal Pandya and Andre Russell already in my team, the other players that interest me in this fixture are Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Sunil Narine, Robin Uthappa, Chris Lynn and Nitish Rana.
If Rana plays, he gets in as the uncapped player pick for the day – as simple as that. With the others, however, there are factors that you need to consider before deciding on whether or not you want to bring them into your team.
Let’s do a threat analysis. Lynn has three of them in the opposition bowling unit today – Bumrah, Markande and Krunal. That’s too many for a player in the form he is in. Uthappa has two – Bumrah and Mitchell McClenaghan. He hasn’t been converting his starts, and taking a risk on him at this stage of the game where every sub could make a huge difference isn’t advisable.
Rohit keeps pushing himself further down and down, and this is a game that I am tired of playing. It is also why I retained Lewis ahead of Rohit after the Kings XI Punjab match despite the former’s form. I see it as a gamble worth taking, but if you don’t have him in your team already, it is not necessary to bring him in now.
Bumrah was Mumbai’s standout bowler last game, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he turns up again today. He is still a carryover pick, as are most bowlers; if you can keep taking him forward, get him in. I can’t, and therefore I keep him out. Given his role, Narine will have his days but I would like to see more consistency from him to warrant a spot.