IPL 2024: Fit-again Suryakumar expected to rescue struggling MI

Suryakumar Yadav (Pic: File Pic)

Mumbai Indians will expect some heroic performances from the fit Suryakumar Yadav. MI will clash with Delhi Capitals on Sunday in the IPL 2024 fixture at the Wankhede Stadium.

With three consecutive losses, MI is at the bottom of the table whereas Delhi Capitals is at the ninth spot after the 106-run loss in their previous IPL 2024 match against Kolkata Knight Riders.

If MI have once again made a characteristic start of falling into a hole with a string of defeats, the misfiring Delhi Capitals have had a similar fate suffering three losses from four outings and are under pressure to bounce back. Suryakumar's potential return to action will keep him at the cynosure since the T20 World Cup follows this iteration of IPL 2024 immediately and his form and fitness will be crucial for the Indian campaign.

After spending three months nursing an ankle and recovering from a sports hernia surgery, the world's number one T20I batsman Surykumar has hit the ground with his first training session here at the Wankhede Stadium on Friday.

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With strength and mobility exercises, Suryakumar is expected to rescue his struggling team which has failed to make an impact in all departments.

Openers Rohit Sharma and Ishan Kishan seemed to deliver promising starts but are yet to convert them into big scores. Middle-order batting lineup consists of Tilak Varma and Naman Dhir, who, irrespective of how appealing they have looked in the middle, are yet to deliver a match-winning performance.

Even the embattled captain Hardik Pandya has not been able to inspire his side. However, for someone who has been subjected to brutal reactions from fans inside the stadiums so far, there could be some respite as the contest on Sunday afternoon will be attended by more than 20,000 children.

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Akash Madhwal's three-for in their last match was the only positive from the bowling front, wherein MI changed the way they used Jasprit Bumrah by giving him three overs in the powerplay but did not have enough runs to challenge Rajasthan Royals.

For DC, comeback star Rishabh Pant (152 runs) has found consistency with two consecutive fifties but he needs support from the others.

Enduring the worst outing so far with the ball wherein DC bowlers kept erring with the line and lengths to allow Kolkata Knight Riders to pile up a humongous 272/7, the Pant-led side was short of spunk in reply with the bat to be bowled out for 166.

David Warner (148 runs) and Tristan Stubbs have been marginally better than the other batters but Delhi will hope to get the more out of swashbuckling Prithvi Shaw, for whom the Wankhede Stadium is a home ground.

Mitchell Marsh has featured in each of Delhi's four matches so far but the burly Australian has not been able to impose himself on the opposition. Like a few others in his camp, Marsh too will be desperate to get a big score under the belt.

Squads for the IPL 2024 match between MI and DC:

Mumbai Indians: Hardik Pandya (c), Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Dewald Brevis, Jasprit Bumrah, Piyush Chawla, Gerald Coetzee, Tim David, Shreyas Gopal, Ishan Kishan (wk), Anshul Kamboj, Kumar Kartikeya, Akash Madhwal, Kwena Maphaka, Mohammad Nabi, Shams Mulani, Naman Dhir, Shivalik Sharma, Romario Shepherd, Arjun Tendulkar, Nuwan Thushara, Tilak Varma, Vishnu Vinod, Nehal Wadhera, Luke Wood.

Delhi Capitals: Rishabh Pant (c&wk), David Warner, Prithvi Shaw, Yash Dhull, Abishek Porel, Axar Patel, Lalit Yadav, Mitchell Marsh, Pravin Dubey, Vicky Ostwal, Anrich Nortje, Kuldeep Yadav, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Khaleel Ahmed, Ishant Sharma, Mukesh Kumar, Tristan Stubbs, Ricky Bhui, Kumar Kushagra, Rasikh Dar, Jhye Richardson, Sumit Kumar, Swastik Chikara, Shai Hope.

(With PTI Inputs)