Is Piyush Chawla playing today's RR vs MI match in IPL 2024?
Mumbai Indians (MI) leg-spinner Piyush Chawla has returned to the playing XI for the upcoming 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL) game against the Rajasthan Royals (RR) at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur.
Chawla has played four matches in the season so far and was replaced by fellow leg-spinner Shreyas Gopal after MI's win over the Delhi Capitals (DC) at home on April 7. In those appearances, Chawla took two wickets at an economy rate of 11.50, and was wicketless in his last two spells, leading to his exclusion.
In his absence, Shreyas Gopal took three wickets in as many matches but was expensive in MI's recent nervy win over PBKS.
Hardik Pandya named Piyush Chawla among the three changes for the side's crucial contest against the league leaders.
"We have taken positives from all four games. The games we won, we wanted to make sure we rectify our mistakes. Three changes - Nuwan Thushara, Nehal Wadhera and Piyush Chawla come in for Romario Shepherd, Akash Madhwal and Shreyas Gopal," Pandya said after opting to bat first.
Chawla was integral in MI's progress to the second qualifier last season after finishing with a wicket tally of 22, the highest of his IPL career.
Piyush Chawla has a mixed record at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium
The leg-spinner will have a massive role to play against RR's middle order as MI look for momentum midway through the campaign and compete hard for the playoff spots amid the mid-table log jam. The likes of Sanju Samson and Riyan Parag have been excellent against spin bowling this season, and Piyush Chawla will have to find a way around them in the middle overs during the run chase.
Chawla has played at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium a total of six times in the IPL, where he has taken only three wickets. However, his economy reads just 6.84, and his last couple of spells at the venue, despite coming a long time back, have been very promising.
Chawla will look to match Yuzvendra Chahal from the opposite camp. The RR leg spinner has mastered bowling at this particular venue, having already taken seven wickets in four home matches this season.