Rising Pune Supergiant (RPS) virtually waltzed its way into the Vivo Indian Premier League final. The first to get there, the side is on a high as cricket’s shortest format completes a decade and its showpiece reaches its climax at the Rajiv Gandhi International stadium here on Sunday.
It has been a relatively rocky road to the showdown for Mumbai Indians (MI), puffing and panting through the playoffs. Memories of three defeats in this the decennial edition at the hands of the same adversary, may be hard to erase. Its passage to the prize fight may even appear a little jaded.
A freshness to the challenge will be one of several factors favouring Pune.
The big plus
Its ability to adapt and improvise will be a big plus. The vagaries of wickets through the tournament haven’t dented its campaign much. M.S. Dhoni’s flourish at the finish at this very venue had made the Sunrisers Hyderabad’s attack, the most potent of the tournament until then, look ordinary.
If the class of Steve Smith and Ajinkya Rahane bolster its batting, in bowling Jaydev Unadkat should prove quite a handful on a strip he made his own on his last foray here. Hyderabad will not in a hurry forget the destruction he wreaked, reducing the home side’s fortress and unbeaten run to rubble.
The Mumbai Indians will not be short on familiarity with the scene of battle either. It could add a few additional revs to the wrist spinning craft of say Karn Sharma, who had turned out for Sunrisers in a couple of seasons.
It could bring out the best from Rohit Sharma and Kieron Pollard, this being a happy hunting ground for the two hit men, simply devastating when they get going.
If Mumbai has more men who have figured in finals of the past, it may be the last hurrah for the Pune squad, which may be wound up next season when the original sides return, unless the IPL is expanded to include 10 teams. Should Pune show the nervousness of a novice on the big stage, there will always be the steadying hand of a hardened pro such as Dhoni.
The pitch has been two-paced at times through season 10 but mostly tilts in favour of the batsmen. Baked firmly by over 40 degrees Celsius temperatures, the 13-day break from the previous match may add its own mystique to how the surface behaves.
The guile of Jasprit Bumrah and Unadkat’s incisive in-cutters should offer contrasting contours to the culmination of a largely bowler-driven season.
With the dice loaded so much in favour of Pune, Mumbai will have to marshal quite a magical performance to steal the thunder from its rival.
Rising Pune Supergiant v Mumbai Indians
Sony Six, Sony ESPN & Sony Max, 8 p.m.
