Defending champions Mumbai Indians will hope for a winning start when they take on new franchise Rising Pune Supergiants in the opening match of the Indian Premier League-9 here on Saturday. The fact they are starting the title defence from their ‘fortress’ Wankhede will spur them up further in the Maharashtra derby clash.
With the emergence of pacer Jasprit Bumrah and all-rounder Hardik Pandya who have been regulars in the Twenty20 format for India since the Australia tour, the Ricky Ponting-coached side look a more settled unit.
The new buy Jos Butler has given them more power-hitting options in the middle-order which already has the likes of Kieron Pollard and Corey Anderson. Butler’s presence means last season’s preferred stumper Parthiv Patel may have to wait for his opportunity.
Those power hitters will follow the most likely opening pair of Lendl Simmons and skipper Rohit Sharma. Ambati Rayudu will try to hold one end in the midst of the innings.
However, in the absence of injured pace spearhead Lasith Malinga the hosts have a hard decision to make whether to persist with left-arm New Zealand pacer Mitchell McClenaghan or include all-rounder Anderson who missed the bulk of last season due to an injury. They have also pace options in Tim Southee and Marchant de Lange. In spin, MI will bank heavily on their experienced off-spinner Harbhajan Singh.
The Supergiants owned by the RP-Sanjiv Goenka Group look familiar to the suspended Chennai Super Kings with new owners, name and place. They are led by Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Stephen Fleming remains the coach. R. Ashwin and Faf du Plessis are also there to make the core of the team.
But they have included exciting players in Kevin Pietersen, Steve Smith and Ajinkya Rahane to strengthen their batting.
Pietersen and Smith had a long session on Friday with both taking turns at the nets. At the adjacent net, Rahane and du Plessis perfected their strokes giving the sense that those four will be the crux of Pune batting on Saturday. Dhoni himself loves batting against the Mumbai Indians.
The fourth slot for an overseas player will see a likely toss up between all-rounders Mitchell Marsh. Thisara Perera and Albie Morkel.
Besides Ashwin, Supergiants have spinning options in Australia leggie Adam Zampa, youngster Murugan Ashwin and left-arm slow bowler Ankit Sharma of Madhya Pradesh.
