Our Sports Reporter
GUWAHATI: Mumbai Indians have received a timely boost ahead of their next IPL clash, with skipper Hardik Pandya set to return for Tuesday’s game against Rajasthan Royals at the ACA Stadium.
Confirming the development during the pre-match press conference, bowling coach Paras Mhambrey said, “He will be available. He had a good couple of hours in the nets yesterday, so he is fit and fine. He wasn’t injured, he was just unwell, which is why he missed the last game against Delhi Capitals.”
Pandya had sat out Mumbai Indians’ previous fixture at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, where the side suffered a six-wicket defeat. However, his return to training on Sunday signaled a quick recovery.
In his absence, MI reshuffled their combination, bringing in South African all-rounder Corbin Bosch in place of Trent Boult, while Deepak Chahar was also included. Mhambrey clarified that the changes were purely tactical.
“Hardik gives you the flexibility of both batting and bowling. With him unavailable, we needed someone who could offer a similar balance. It was a decision based on team requirements,” he explained.
Mumbai Indians will be playing an IPL match in Guwahati for the first time, adding further intrigue to the contest. One of the key match-ups to watch will be how Rajasthan’s young batting talents-Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Dhruv Jurel-handle the challenge posed by MI’s pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah.
Mhambrey also praised Bumrah’s exceptional skill set, noting that his ability to read and outthink batters makes him a constant threat on any surface.
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