While a jaded Kings XI Punjab outfit — more due to its travel from Indore to Mumbai than the annihilation from the Royal Challengers Bangalore on Monday — chose to skip practice, the Mumbai Indians was involved in an intense training session ahead of its last Indian Premier League (IPL) home game.
As is the case more often than not towards the final stages of the league, Rohit Sharma’s boys find themselves in more than a spot of bother. Languishing in the lower half of the table for a major part so far, Mumbai Indians has to win its two remaining matches and hope for the other results to fall its way to make it to the playoffs.
One of the main reasons for its topsy-turvy campaign this time around has been the defending champion’s form at home. The Wankhede has conventionally been a fortress for the Mumbai Indians, but this time around, Rohit’s men have struggled at home. Of the first six games, the Mumbai Indians has won just two games.
In its previous three victorious campaigns, the least number of matches Mumbai Indians had won was four. Aditya Tare, the back-up wicketkeeper, had no qualms in admitting the problem. “We have not been up to the mark at Wankhede. Usually we are a very tough team to beat at Wankhede,” Tare said on Tuesday. “Unfortunately this has not been the case this season. The mood is pretty good. The picture is quite clear, you win two games and anything can happen.”
The visiting team is in a similar situation. Despite starting the season on a roll, the Kings XI Punjab campaign has fizzled out in the latter stages. R. Ashwin-led team enters Wednesday’s match, having lost five of its last six matches. The most demoralising of all those losses was on Monday when the Kings was bowled out for a paltry 88 in the 16th over and the Royal Challengers opening pair hunting down the target in 8.1 overs.
Having reached its nadir, the Kings XI would be hoping to turn the tide. Besides banking on in-form opener K.L. Rahul to sizzle along with veteran Chris Gayle, it would be hoping for mystery spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman to recover from his wrist injury.
