IPL 2021: Match 1 – MI v RCB – Match Prediction & Playing XIs

MI v RCB Toss: Royal Challengers Bangalore won the toss and elect to bowl

Mumbai Indians:

Rohit Sharma ( C ), Chris Lynn, Suryakumar Yadav, Ishan Kishan, Hardik Pandya, Krunal Pandya, Kieron Pollard, Marco Jansen, Rahul Chahar, Trent Boult, Jasprit Bumrah

Royal Challengers Bangalore: 

Virat Kohli ( C ), Rajat Patidar, AB de Villiers, Glenn Maxwell, Washington Sundar, Dan Christian, Kyle Jamieson, Harshal Patel, Shahbaz Ahmed, Mohammad Siraj, Yuzvendra Chahal

Both teams have their set of challengers. Mumbai Indians have been slow starters and haven’t won their first match of the season since 2012. MI miss Quinton de Kock and are trying out a new uncapped talent in Marco Jansen from South Africa. Royal Challengers got a set of new players including first timer Kyle Jamieson who is playing his first ever match in India.

MI POSITIVES:

– Mumbai come in as defending champions.

– A solid unit knit together past few seasons.

– Easily the better domestic side of the two.

RCB POSITIVES:

– Batting depth improved with the presence of overseas all-rounders in the line up.

– Glenn Maxwell’s presence can give Kohli and AB de Villiers the free will to express.

– Yuzvendra Chahal and Washington Sundar pack a better spin combination with the ball going away and coming in than their Mumbai counterparts.

PREDICTION:

Royal Challengers Bangalore to edge past Mumbai Indians by a faintest of margin.