IPL: MI win toss, elect to bowl first against RR in Mumbai, Bumrah rested
Mumbai, May 24
Mumbai Indians won the toss and opted to bowl first against Rajasthan Royals in their last Indian Premier League 2026 group-stage match, on Sunday at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. Notably, Jasprit Bumrah sits out the clash as the Mumbai Indians have rested the speedster.
MI captain Hardik Pandya opted to bowl first, saying the pitch looks good and should improve in the evening. Pandya added that MI aim to finish their difficult season on a positive note. He also confirmed that Jasprit Bumrah is resting, while Deepak Chahar is included in the playing 11.
"We will bowl first. It looks like a good track and it tends to get better in the evening. It's a very special day. We just want to play our best and make them enjoy their time. It looks hard and it should get better once the sun goes down. This game means a lot for the team; we want to give our best shot. We've had a tough season and want to finish on a high. Jassi is resting and Deepak is in," Pandya said at the toss presentation.
RR captain Riyan Parag said they would have also preferred to bowl first, adding that this could be their last match of the tournament and they want to give it their best shot. He stressed that a win would secure qualification without relying on other results. Parag also confirmed three changes in the playing 11, with Nandre Burger, Ravindra Jadeja, and himself coming into the side.
"We would have bowled first as well. We know this could be the last game of the tournament and we want to give it our best shot. Hopefully, we'll maximise our chances and give our best shot. If we win, we qualify and won't need any help from the others. Three changes - Nandre comes in, so does Jadeja and me," Parag said.
While any result for the Mumbai Indians will not make a difference in their IPL 2026 campaign as they are already eliminated, it is a must-win encounter for the Rajasthan Royals. The Royals still have control over their playoff fate, and a win will confirm their place in the playoffs.
MI vs RR playing 11s
Rajasthan Royals playing 11: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Dhruv Jurel(w), Riyan Parag(c), Donovan Ferreira, Shubham Dubey, Dasun Shanaka, Jofra Archer, Nandre Burger, Yash Raj Punja, Brijesh Sharma.
RR Impact subs: Ravindra Jadeja, Sushant Mishra, Aman Rao Perala, Ravi Bishnoi, Tushar Deshpande.
Mumbai Indians playing 11: Ryan Rickelton(w), Naman Dhir, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya(c), Will Jacks, Corbin Bosch, Deepak Chahar, Shardul Thakur, AM Ghazanfar, Raghu Sharma.MI Impact Subs: Rohit Sharma, Mayank Rawat, Robin Minz, Krish Bhagat, Trent Boult.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Riyan Parag as captain is still a joke for me. Thoda aur experience lena chahiye before leading a team. But I admire his confidence - saying they'd have bowled first too. At least he's honest. Let's see if RR can choke under pressure like always 😅 #IPL2026
Interesting to see Ravindra Jadeja as Impact Sub for RR! That's a smart tactical move - bring him in later when the pitch slows down. But honestly, RR's batting lineup looks thin without Jos Buttler. Yashasvi needs to fire today or they're in trouble. Come on boys, do it for the playoffs! 🏏
As an American cricket fan, I'm amazed at how passionate Indian fans are even for dead rubbers. In the US, people would just stop watching. But here, Wankhede is still packed! The atmosphere must be electric. Good luck to both teams - hope RR makes it to the playoffs, would be a great story! 🌟
Look, I know MI are already out, but this is why franchises need to stop depending on one or two players. Your whole batting collapses if Surya fails. Your bowling is trash without Bumrah. What kind of planning is that? Spend crores on big names but no bench strength? 🤦♀️ Rant over.
Deepak Chahar in for Bumrah... that's like swapping a Ferrari for a Maruti 800 bro 😂 But in all seriousness, Chahar can swing the new ball. If W
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