Mumbai beset with problems; squad depth gives Super Giants most solutions

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Miracles do happen in sport. In cricket too. Pakistan took home the 1992 World Cup after only one win in their first five matches, and closer home, Kolkata Knight Riders won nine games in a row on their way to a second IPL title in 2014.

Why talk about that now? Well, Mumbai Indians must win eight of their remaining nine league matches to have a fair chance of making the playoffs, after losing five in a row to begin with.

One of Mumbai's problems is that their senior core of Rohit Sharma, Kieron Pollard and Jasprit Bumrah have not contributed a lot. But count the positives, and you will note Bumrah's yorker-laden spell against Punjab Kings, which could be a sign of things to come, Suryakumar Yadav has continued to deliver runs, and youngsters Tilak Varma and Dewald Brevis have shone on the big stage.

Mumbai have begun their race against time already, but must start running faster, and fast.

On the other hand, Lucknow Super Giants have such luxury in their ranks that they could afford to not bowl any of Krunal Pandya, Marcus Stoinis and Deepak Hooda against Rajasthan Royals. Such is the richness of their batting order that they could send Stoinis in at No. 8, allowing themselves to have two left-handers at the crease against spin, while keeping their batting order flexible in strategic battle against Royals. It didn't work out on that occasion, but three wins in five games isn't too shabby.

In a reality that may pinch their opponents, it is Mumbai's ex-enforcer Quinton de Kock who has been leading the way for Super Giants with the bat, especially in quick knocks of 61 and 80 set the tone for his side's successful run chases against Chennai Super Kings and Delhi Capitals. There have been many other significant contributions. With the bat from Hooda, KL Rahul and the impressive Ayush Badoni, and with the ball from Avesh Khan, Ravi Bishnoi, K Gowtham and Pandya. They would back themselves to put the narrow loss against Royals behind quickly.

In the news

This tournament has been a lot about the new and young faces, three of whom feature in this contest: Badoni, Tilak and Brevis. Who knows if one of them will spur their team on to a win - Mumbai, especially, would hope that happens.

Likely XIs

Super Giants are unlikely to tweak with their side despite coming off a loss, since that XI provides batting depth as well as multiple allrounders. But Stoinis' batting position could be rejigged.

Lucknow Super Giants: 1 KL Rahul (capt), 2 Quinton de Kock (wk), 3 Marcus Stoinis, 4 Deepak Hooda, 5 Ayush Badoni, 6 Jason Holder, 7 Krunal Pandya, 8 K Gowtham, 9 Dushmantha Chameera, 10 Avesh Khan, 11 Ravi Bishnoi

Should Mumbai bring Tim David back? Should they give Fabian Allen a chance? Should they stick with Basil Thampi and M Ashwin? Something. Anything.

Mumbai Indians: 1 Ishan Kishan (wk), 2 Rohit Sharma (capt), 3 Dewald Brevis, 4 Suryakumar Yadav, 5 Tilak Varma, 6 Kieron Pollard, 7 Tymal Mills/Tim David, 8 Jaydev Unadkat, 9 Mayank Markande/M Ashwin, 10 Jasprit Bumrah, 11 Basil Thampi/Fabian Allen

Strategy punt

• Bishnoi has been Super Giants' trump card this season, bowling quicker and with more googlies than legspin. Across all T20s, the highest strike rate that any of Rohit, Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar and Pollard have against him is Kishan's 118. Bishnoi has also dismissed Rohit and Kishan once each, and Suryakumar twice, with the in-form batter striking at just 89 against the legspinner.

  And although Bishnoi is yet to get Pollard, the explosive batter goes even quieter against him with a strike rate of 79. Thus, with Rohit, Kishan and Suryakumar forming Mumbai's top three, Super Giants can employ Bishnoi in the powerplay, aside from using him against Pollard at the death.

• None of Thampi, Ashwin and Jaydev Unadkat has ever dismissed de Kock in a T20. Moreover, his strike rate against them reads 173, 153 and 145, respectively. Bumrah, too, has never got the Super Giants opener, although he has bowled only six deliveries to him, being Mumbai team-mates for the longest time. And against Pollard, de Kock has fallen only once while going at a strike rate of 122. With that record and with his recent form, de Kock might just end all hopes of Mumbai's revival if he gets going in the powerplay.

Stats that matter

• Since 2018, Rahul has the most runs in the IPL - 2680 at an average of 53.6.

• Just like this year, Mumbai had also lost five matches to start the 2014 IPL. But they won seven out of the next nine and made the playoffs, where they lost the Eliminator to Super Kings. However, IPL was an eight-team tournament at the time.

• Dushmantha Chameera has dismissed Rohit six times in T20Is, the most times the India and Mumbai captain has fallen to an individual.

• The No. 3 position hasn't yielded Super Giants the results yet. In five innings this season, that spot has given them only 21 runs at a strike rate of 62, both by far the lowest among all sides.