Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) will host the Mumbai Indians (MI) in Match 21 of IPL 2016 at the PCA Stadium in Mohali on Monday. Both teams are coming into this fixture after defeats.
Mumbai Indians have lost four out of six matches this season, while KXIP have lost four out of five games in IPL 2016.
Both teams are yet to come up with their best performances, and therefore the encounter between the two under-performing sides will be a crucial one on Monday. KXIP and Mumbai Indians have played 16 games against each other and both teams have won eight times each.
Mumbai Indians skipper Rohit Sharma will have to have a re-think about his playing XI, as the current combination has failed to make an impact this season.
Rohit might consdier replacing Kieron Pollard with Martin Guptill. Guptill may have failed in his first match of IPL 2016, but that does not mean he is going to fail in all matches.
Someone as good as Guptill should not be sitting on the bench throughout the season. Pollard has scored 61 runs in five matches at an average of just above 20. He has also bowled only one over in these five matches, and that over cost the Mumbai Indians 11 runs. Guptill might just help Rohit and his side to turn things around.
Parthiv Patel, too, has not had a great IPL so far. He has scored just 73 runs, with an average of 14.60, in five matches. Rohit and Guptill should ideally open the batting for the defending IPL champions. Unmukt Chand may just get his first game this year as well. The youngster could replace Patel in the playing XI.
Meanwhile, KXIP need David Miller and Glenn Maxwell to fire. The two have scored 85 runs combined in five matches.
Marcus Stoinis, who had a decent season with the Melbourne Stars in the Big Bash League earlier this year, might replace Maxwell in the middle order. Farhan Behardien is another option that KXIP are yet to try in IPL 2016.
In the bowling department, Kyle Abbott has been extremely expensive in the three matches that he played. An economy rate of 10.40 is never going to help the Lions of Punjab. Mitchell Johnson and his experience might just help the side out against MI.
Both teams do not have any injury concerns, so all the players are going to be available for selection.
Playing XI: Kings XI Punjab: Murali Vijay, Manan Vohra, Shaun Marsh, Marcus Stoinis, David Miller (C), Axar Patel, Wriddhiman Saha (wk), Rishi Dhawan, Mitchell Johnson, Sandeep Sharma, Mohit Sharma.
Mumbai Indians: Rohit Sharma (C), Martin Guptill, Ambati Rayudu, Unmukt Chand, Jos Buttler (wk), Krunal Pandya, Hardik Pandya, Harbhajan Singh, Tim Southee, Mitchell McClenaghan, Jasprit Bumrah.
