Showing today: The Maharashtra Derby

The opener between Mumbai Indians and Rising Pune Supergiants could be described as a battle between the champion and the newbie.

It could well be tagged as the return of the ‘Maharashtra Derby’ between franchises based on either side of the picturesque Sahyadri mountain range.

Instead, it would be fair to label the Indian Premier League opener between Mumbai Indians and Rising Pune Supergiants as a battle between the champion and a newbie of the IPL family.

Despite the Pune outfit set to mark its debut on Saturday night, the team by no means would be an unknown quantity.

A majority of the squad has been carved from two suspended franchises (Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals), with those from the yellow brigade, including captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni and coach Stephen Fleming, dominating the group. It remains to be seen if the highly successful combination can replicate its success in new colours.

Mumbai Indians, on the other hand, would like to reverse the recent trend of starting the season on a disastrous note.

Rohit Sharma’s troupe had lost the first five games in 2014 and three in 2015 before making a late surge in the league stage. The home team would be hoping for a winning start at the Wankhede Stadium.

Bowling predicament

That task won’t be easy, especially in the absence of Lasith Malinga. The highest wicket-taker in the league’s history has been ruled out for at least the first half of the IPL.

This has left Mumbai in a quandary — whether to pick an overseas pace bowler (Tim Southee or Marchant de Lange) to assist in-form Jasprit Bumrah and Mitchell McClenaghan or include three overseas batsmen in the team.

The Malinga factor

Bowling coach Shane Bond tried his best to downplay the Malinga factor on the eve of the match.

“The owners and Ricky (coach Ricky Ponting) have done a good job in recruiting a couple of fast bowlers in the side, so we have cover for him,” Bond said. “If he arrives fit, he will surely come into our squad.”

Just like Mumbai, the Pune team will be unsure of its bowling line-up.

It would be interesting to see their first-choice bowlers to aid Ishant Sharma and R. Ashwin.

However, Pune’s batting unit appears well established. The likes of Kevin Pietersen, Ajinkya Rahane, Faf du Plessis, Steve Smith and Dhoni hit the ball into the Wankhede stands at will during Friday’s nets.

If they can repeat it on Saturday evening, the Supergiants would be starting off their IPL innings on a giant-killing note.