News

MI bowl and rest Bumrah; Parag, Burger back for RR

Sagar Thapa · 24/05/2026 · 4 min read

The final league game of IPL 2026 for Mumbai Indians has set the stage for a thrilling encounter at the Wankhede Stadium. In a crucial toss decision under the hot and humid Mumbai sun, Mumbai Indians won the toss and elected to bowl first against Rajasthan Royals. This decision sets up an intriguing battle as MI bowl and rest Bumrah; Parag, Burger back for RR in a game loaded with playoff implications for the visitors.

The Toss Decision and Pitch Conditions at the Wankhede

Mumbai Indians captain Hardik Pandya made the call to bowl first on Pitch No. 6. While captains traditionally prefer to bat first during afternoon matches to avoid fielding in the intense heat and humidity, Pandya explained his decision by noting that the pitch at Wankhede tends to ease up and become significantly better for batting as the match progresses. Rajasthan Royals captain Riyan Parag admitted that he also would have preferred to chase, highlighting that both teams shared a similar reading of the conditions.

High Stakes: A Must-Win Scenario for Rajasthan Royals

The stakes could not be higher for the Rajasthan Royals. This is an absolute must-win fixture for the franchise. A victory in this match will guarantee them a spot in the coveted IPL 2026 playoffs. However, a defeat would instantly knock them out of contention, ending their tournament run.

Should Rajasthan Royals fail to win, their fate, along with that of other teams, will rest on the outcome of the final league match of the season scheduled for later tonight in Kolkata. That clash features Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) taking on Delhi Capitals (DC). The result of that game will determine whether KKR or the Punjab Kings (PBKS) claim the final remaining playoff spot. Meanwhile, Mumbai Indians, playing on their home turf, are already out of the playoff race and are playing purely for pride and to end their campaign on a high note.

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Team Changes: Rajasthan Royals Welcome Back Key Players

With their playoff lives on the line, the Rajasthan Royals have returned to full strength by welcoming back key individuals from injury. Captain Riyan Parag and the experienced all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja have both returned to the squad after recovering from their respective injuries. Additionally, left-arm pacer Nandre Burger has been drafted back into the seam attack to provide early breakthroughs.

Interestingly, Ravindra Jadeja has been named on the impact player bench to start the game. This tactical decision suggests that Jadeja could be limited to a bowling-only role later in the match as an Impact Player, unless the team management decides to sub him in for a top-order batter following a dismissal.

Mumbai Indians Team News: Bumrah Rested, Rohit on the Bench

On the other hand, Mumbai Indians have opted to rest their premier fast bowler, Jasprit Bumrah, for this final fixture of their season. In his absence, experienced medium-pacer Shardul Thakur has been drafted into the playing XI.

The decision to rest Bumrah means that the 20,000 children present in the stands—who are attending the match as part of the Education and Sports for All (ESA) initiative—will have to wait until IPL 2027 to see the highly anticipated matchup between Jasprit Bumrah and the young batting prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. Furthermore, former captain Rohit Sharma has not been included in the starting eleven and starts the match on the Impact Player bench.

Official Playing XIs

Rajasthan Royals Playing XI

Yashasvi Jaiswal
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi
Dhruv Jurel (wk)
Riyan Parag (capt)
Donovan Ferreira
Shubham Dubey
Dasun Shanaka
Jofra Archer
Nandre Burger
Yash Raj Punja
Brijesh Sharma

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Impact Bench: Ravindra Jadeja, Sushant Mishra, Aman Rao Perala, Ravi Bishnoi, Tushar Deshpande.

Mumbai Indians Playing XI

Ryan Rickelton (wk)
Naman Dhir
Suryakumar Yadav
Tilak Varma
Hardik Pandya (capt)
Will Jacks
Corbin Bosch
Deepak Chahar
Shardul Thakur
AM Ghazanfar
Raghu Sharma

Impact Bench: Rohit Sharma, Mayank Rawat, Robin Minz, Krish Bhagat, Trent Boult.

Match Outlook

With Pitch No. 6 expected to favor the batters later in the afternoon, Mumbai Indians will hope their bowlers can restrict the strong Rajasthan Royals lineup early on. The return of Nandre Burger and Riyan Parag gives RR a massive boost in their bid to defend or post a formidable target, while the presence of explosive hitters on both sides promises an exciting finish to MI’s season and a dramatic playoff decider for RR.

Sagar Thapa

Sagar Thapa is a senior sports correspondent for The Kathmandu Post, regarded as one of the foremost chroniclers of Nepal’s remarkable cricketing ascent. A graduate of Tribhuvan University, he started his career covering age‑group and university cricket long before Nepal’s national team gained ODI status. Sagar has since reported on every major milestone in Nepal’s journey—from World Cup Qualifiers to the rise of stars like Sandeep Lamichhane in global T20 leagues. His deep understanding of spin bowling and the specific challenges faced by Associate Member nations underpins his widely read columns. Sagar’s work is known for its gentle authority, meticulously contextualising Nepal’s achievements within the broader international game. He has been honoured by the Nepal Sports Journalists Forum and his own newspaper, and he remains passionately committed to telling the stories of the valleys, academies, and tournaments that are shaping the next generation of cricket in Nepal and beyond.