IPL 2018, KKR vs MI: Mumbai Indians' (MI) probable playing XI against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR)
After beating Kolkata Knight Riders at the Wankhede stadium in Mumbai a couple of days back, defending IPL champions Mumbai Indians will be travelling to Kolkata to take on the home side in their second game of the season against the same opposition in a space of four days at the Eden Gardens.
With four wins in ten matches, the Rohit Sharma-led team are placed at the fifth spot on the table with 10 points and a healthy net run-rate.
This will be a do-or-die match for Mumbai as they will have to win all four of their remaining matches if they want to make it to the playoffs.
Going into a crucial encounter in Kolkata, let us take a look at how Mumbai Indians could line up against the former champions.
Suryakumar Yadav has been a revelation with the bat for Mumbai at the top of the order and will continue to open the innings for Mumbai. With 399 runs in ten innings including a fifty in the previous game against Kolkata, the right-hander will want to continue his form against his former side.
West Indies' Evin Lewis, who is yet to set the stage on fire in the 2018 IPL, will partner him up top and the duo would be expected to give MI a swift start.
Ishan Kishan has been struggling for form in the ongoing IPL has been demoted down the batting order. The wicketkeeper-batsman will look to make his chances count by contributing to the team's victory.
Rohit Sharma has put the team ahead of him by demoting himself to the middle-order to add solidity to the middle order. The Indian ODI vice-captain will be returning to his favourite venue and will look to post a memorable score and take his side to victory. It is still unclear on where the right-hander will bat against the Knight Riders.
All-rounders JP Duminy, Hardik Pandya and Krunal Pandya are used as floaters by MI as they will walk out to bat depending on the situation of the match. Krunal has been brilliant since the first match while Hardik Pandya is the leading wicket-taker for Mumbai with 14 wickets and the all-rounder will look to add more wickets to his tally when he takes on the Knight Riders.
Aussie international Ben Cutting is not being used properly by the defending champions, something that the MI skipper himself has admitted after the last match. It won't be a surprise if Cutting gets a promotion against Kolkata Knight Riders.
The Mumbai bowling line-up will be led by Jasprit Bumrah, who has 11 wickets in the tournament, will remain the same with the likes of Mitchell McClenaghan (11 wickets) and Mayank Markande (13 wickets) in it.
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