MI vs SRH IPL 2025: Jasprit Bumrah must open bowling to tackle Head-Abhishek threat

It is time for Mumbai Indians and Sunrisers Hyderabad and I am absolutely buzzing for this  one—it promises to be a real cracker. The surface at Wankhede offers great pace and  bounce, with just enough in it to keep the bowlers in the game. I covered a match there  recently, and it was one of the best wickets I’ve seen in a long time—a perfect contest  between bat and ball. There’s a bit of zip for the pacers, some lateral movement early on,  but once a batter gets their eye in, it’s a small ground and a belting pitch. Expect plenty of  runs. 

Ideally, we’ll get a surface that offers something for everyone—one that brings both batting  and bowling units from both sides into play.  

Speaking of Mumbai Indians, both teams are coming into this with momentum, each  building off a crucial win in their previous game. But for MI, it wasn’t just about securing the  two points—it was about how they did it. They were under serious pressure, with Delhi  looking like clear favourites at one stage. It was a gutsy turnaround that could really spark  their campaign. 

Sometimes, when you’ve been under the pump for a few games, all you need is a  moment—a spark to turn things around. And that win might just be the spark Mumbai  Indians were looking for. The way they pulled it off, when they looked down and out… it was  remarkable. Those late runouts, the pressure moments—they were gone, buried. But then  Jasprit Bumrah returned, and suddenly there’s a shift. You can sense a positive vibe in the  camp now, a belief that they’ve found something to build on. And heading into a massive  clash against a quality side, that belief could make all the difference. 

I’m feeling optimistic about Mumbai. Last time they got their first win, there was hope  they’d build on it—but now, this really feels like their moment. They simply have to make it  count. 

Looking at the matchups, there’s one key move I’d make—assuming Bumrah is in the XI, I’d  have him open the bowling. Sunrisers Hyderabad’s biggest strength is right at the top with  Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head, and you need your best weapon firing from ball one to  disrupt that. 

I noticed Bumrah didn’t take the new ball in the last game—and that’s something Mumbai  has done quite a bit in the past. But for me, this is the game to change that. I’d make a  statement right from the start: Bumrah versus Abhishek, Bumrah versus Travis Head—set  the tone early. Give him the first over, maybe even a couple up front, and let him go hard at 

SRH’s biggest threat—their opening pair. If you can break that partnership early, you knock  them back and swing the momentum in your favour straight away. 

Bumrah opening the bowling alongside Trent Boult will be exciting to watch. With a bit of  swing on offer in Mumbai, especially with that evening humidity, it could be a potent  combination. The Bumrah-Boult duo has the potential to trouble any top order right from  ball one. 

They might still stick with Deepak Chahar, but personally, I’d go with Bumrah and Boult up  front. And with Karn Sharma coming in and doing a solid job with his leg-spin options, the  bowling attack is shaping up nicely. 

That’s definitely added a bit more balance to the side. And looking at the bigger picture,  another encouraging sign for Mumbai is how their top order is starting to settle. There’s  more clarity now—more cohesion and confidence in the batting line-up. Everyone seems  to have a better understanding of their role and position, which makes a big difference in a  team finding its rhythm. 

There are still some lingering concerns around Rohit Sharma. He’s due for a big innings,  and if Mumbai are serious about making a push for the playoffs, they’ll need their former  skipper to step up with some match-defining scores. If they’re going to build real  momentum, Rohit has to start firing—and soon. It’s a massive night for him. And then  there’s the interesting subplot: Will Jacks. 

The top order needs to fire but I feel the Rickelton and Rohit combination is still the best  option, followed by Suryakumar Yadav at 3 and Tilak Varma at 4. Personally, I’d flip it—Tilak  at 3 and Suryakumar Yadav at 4—but honestly, either way works. It’s definitely a stronger,  more balanced combination than what we saw earlier in the season. 

The only issue is with Will Jacks—it’s a bit tricky to figure out where he fits in. He came in at  6 or 7 in the last game and didn’t bowl. When you’re using one of your overseas slots like  that, and he’s not really contributing with either bat or ball, it leaves you questioning the  balance of the side. 

I’m not sure that the Wankhede Stadium is the right setting for him in this game, especially  since I don’t see him bowling many overs. It seems like he’s being used purely as a batter.  Unless they plan to slot him into the top order during the powerplay, I’m not convinced  they’re fully utilising their fourth overseas option.

Another option could be to bring in Corbin Bosch, who could bowl a few overs and provide  some power hitting in the middle order. They might look to him as a potential fit for that  fourth overseas slot, though it’s still uncertain. The issue with Will Jacks is that it’s not  clear where he fits—whether in the batting or bowling line-up. He’s just not finding his role,  which is a bit of a concern. 

As for SRH, they come into this with a thrilling victory in their last game, full of momentum. SRH has been led brilliantly by their top two – Head and Abhishek, sticking to their guns  and not overcomplicating things. Credit to them for staying consistent. Despite a few  injuries, like Adam Zampa being out, their top order and batting approach has remained  largely unchanged. 

That said, I feel SRH could benefit from refining their stroke play a little. They’re incredibly  aggressive, which is great, but sometimes they could take a moment to breathe and just  calm things down. They’re bold, they’re brave, and that style has clearly paid off for them  so far. However, SRH need to learn to pause and regroup when wickets fall and  momentum dips. Taking a few deliveries to rebuild and steady the innings can make a big  difference in forming strong partnerships and finishing well. 

It’s going to be tough to contain SRH if Mumbai can’t take early wickets, especially with the  small ground and potentially some pace in the pitch. That kind of setup should suit SRH  perfectly with their aggressive batting line-up. 

If SRH does falter at the top, I’ve become a big fan of Aniket Verma. Coming in at six, he  adds depth to their middle order, and they can always bring in Abhinav Manohar as an  impact sub to give them extra firepower. 

SRH definitely has plenty of depth in their batting, with Pat Cummins coming in at eight. It’s  a solid line-up that can go deep. But Mumbai has a great bowling attack to counter that.  Hardik Pandya has been outstanding—he’s picked up ten wickets and has really stepped  up as their key man. He’s also done a fantastic job as captain, and you can rely on him in  the field as well. 

It’s going to be a thrilling contest—Mumbai’s bowling strength versus SRH’s powerhouse  batting line-up, which also has plenty of depth. 

Mohammed Shami really needs to step up and deliver a solid performance or two. He had  a tough outing last time, going for 75 in his four overs. Harshal Patel, though, is going to be  crucial. I’ve seen him bowl well in these conditions at Wankhede several times, and his 

variations—whether it’s his Yorkers, slower balls, or clever deception—are going to be key.  I really feel his role could be pivotal in this game. 

Zeeshan Ansari has really impressed since coming in, doing a great job with his leg spin.  He’s added another dimension to their bowling attack. Overall, they’ve covered most  bases, but I feel the key moments of the game will come down to Bumrah going head-to head with Abhishek and Travis Head. Additionally, the match-up between Hardik Pandya  and Nitish Kumar Reddy is going to be fascinating to watch. That’s where the real battles  will unfold. 

Both Hardik and Reddy are outstanding all-rounders. Hardik has been a key figure for India,  while Nitish is rapidly making his mark across all formats of the game. It’s going to be  fascinating to see these two go head-to-head. There’s a nice sub-plot unfolding in this  match between them, adding extra excitement to what should already be an intense game.  Definitely looking forward to it.