Tendulkar assists Bumrah as Mumbai Indians seek redemption against Rajasthan Royals

In a bid to reverse their fortunes, Mumbai Indians (MI) sought the wisdom of cricketing legend Sachin Tendulkar as they prepared to face Rajasthan Royals (RR) in a high-stakes encounter at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai.

Tendulkar, renowned as one of the game's greatest minds, lent his expertise to MI's pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah in selecting the new ball ahead of the crucial clash. Alongside Bumrah and Akash Madhwal, Tendulkar meticulously examined the balls, offering invaluable insights to the talented pacemen.

The iconic batter didn't stop there; he also collaborated with former MI skipper Rohit Sharma to assess the pitch, as MI aimed to bounce back from consecutive defeats in the tournament's early stages.

Under the leadership of Hardik Pandya, MI endured a lackluster start to their campaign, suffering defeats against Gujarat Titans and Sunrisers Hyderabad. Their bowling unit, in particular, faced scrutiny after conceding a mammoth 277 runs against SRH - a record high in IPL history.

Returning to their fortress at the Wankhede Stadium for their first home game of the season, the five-time champions were eager to make amends. Additionally, MI scripted history by becoming the first team to play 250 IPL matches during their clash against RR.

In a crucial encounter, RR captain Sanju Samson won the toss and elected to bowl first on Monday. MI's strategic adjustments included the inclusion of Akash Madhwal in their playing XI, replacing Shams Mulani following his underwhelming performance against SRH.

Commenting on the decision after the toss, Pandya expressed excitement about the challenge ahead and emphasized the team's commitment to playing an entertaining brand of cricket.

On the other hand, RR introduced Nandre Burger into their lineup, replacing the unfit Sandeep Sharma, as they aimed to capitalize on their promising start to the season.

Heading into the match, RR boasted two victories, while MI found themselves languishing at the bottom of the points table with two consecutive losses.
MI vs RR Playing XIs:
Mumbai Indians:
1.    Hardik Pandya (c)
2.    Rohit Sharma
3.    Suryakumar Yadav
4.    Ishan Kishan (wk)
5.    Kieron Pollard
6.    Akash Madhwal
7.    Marco Jansen
8.    Rahul Chahar
9.    Adam Milne
10.    Jasprit Bumrah
11.    Trent Boult
Rajasthan Royals:
1.    Sanju Samson (c & wk)
2.    Yashasvi Jaiswal
3.    Jos Buttler
4.    Riyan Parag
5.    Dhruv Jurel
6.    Shimron Hetmyer
7.    Ravichandran Ashwin
8.    Trent Boult
9.    Avesh Khan
10.    Nandre Burger
11.    Yuzvendra Chahal