IPL: Hardik Pandya Opts to Bat as MI Face SRH in Must-Win Clash

Every match is now a must-win for the five-time champions, who are facing the looming threat of elimination. Meanwhile, SRH are riding high on a four-match winning streak.

MI started the season with a win over Kolkata Knight Riders, breaking the jinx of not winning their campaign opener for 14 years.

However, they failed to continue the momentum and managed to win only one of the following six matches.

"We will bat first. Looks like a good pitch, it's breezy and a bit cold. I don't think dew will be a factor. It was important for us to reset and not get too complicated. We had a couple of good boys' evenings and a couple of net sessions. Now ready for the game. Mitchell was unfortunate, as was Quinny today, he had a wrist injury. There are a couple of changes: Rickelton comes in, and Minz is in. Rohit will need a couple more games; he's trying, but it's not up to the mark. I want to play the best cricket I know as well," Pandya said during the toss.

"We would have bowled, looks slightly tacky, so happy. You need to reset your expectations, this pitch might ask you to do something different. At this stage, just one change. Harsh Dubey comes in place of Shivang. Hopefully, the team trusts what I say, since I bowl, " SRH skipper Pat Cummins said.

Ryan Rickelton(w), Will Jacks, Naman Dhir, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya(c), Robin Minz, Trent Boult, Jasprit Bumrah, AM Ghazanfar, Ashwani Kumar.

Abhishek Sharma, Travis Head, Ishan Kishan, Heinrich Klaasen, Salil Arora(w), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Pat Cummins(c), Harsh Dubey, Sakib Hussain, Praful Hinge, Eshan Malinga.

- ANI