Mumbai Indians will take on Royal Challengers Bengaluru at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Sunday night, with the clash marking the 20th game of IPL 2026. The matchup has attracted plenty of attention not only for the contest itself, but also for the controversy brewing around MI’s bowling unit.
Quick facts
- Match: Mumbai Indians vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru, IPL 2026, Match 20
- Venue and time: Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai; Sunday night
- Former India opener Krishnamachari Srikkanth made remarks about MI all-rounder Shardul Thakur
- Srikkanth’s claim: RCB batters will overpower Thakur, and both Thakur and Deepak Chahar can’t be effective together
- Suggested MI bowling/selection: Trent Boult to bowl the first over; Jasprit Bumrah and Boult to open the bowling; Deepak Chahar to be replaced by Ashwani Kumar
Ahead of the highly anticipated encounter, former India opener Krishnamachari Srikkanth delivered a blunt assessment of Shardul Thakur’s prospects in this match. Thakur, a 34-year-old right-arm medium-fast bowler, began the tournament with a three-wicket haul against Kolkata Knight Riders. However, he has not been able to repeat that impact in his subsequent outings.
After the early success, Thakur struggled in the next two games against Delhi Capitals and Rajasthan Royals. In those follow-up matches, he managed only a single wicket across the pair and allowed runs at an economy rate above 15, raising questions about his rhythm at this stage of the season.
Srikkanth went further in his predictions, stating that RCB’s batting group would “thrash” Thakur when they face him on Sunday. He framed the situation as if Thakur’s season would be over immediately, while also describing how the RCB batters would target him all the way toward Marine Drive and the Church Gate station area.
The former batter also suggested a tactical mismatch if MI choose both Thakur and Deepak Chahar in the same playing XI. He warned that pairing the two would cost MI heavily, insisting that those eight overs would be punished for at least 96 runs if both bowl in the same stretch.
In addition to his selection thoughts, Srikkanth highlighted the opening overs for Mumbai’s attack. He argued that Trent Boult and Jasprit Bumrah should handle the first spell(s) for MI, pointing to how the balance of the new-ball phase could shape the contest early.
Srikkanth specifically criticised Boult’s recent form, calling him a “big letdown” for the team. His recommendation was straightforward: if Boult and Bumrah both feature, then Boult must bowl the very first over, with MI planning their initial overs around that plan.
On the batting/selection front, Srikkanth said Deepak Chahar should be left out of the playing XI. In his place, he backed Ashwani Kumar, noting that Kumar had previously won a Player of the Match award last year and should be given the opportunity instead of Chahar.
Srikkanth concluded that Deepak Chahar’s stint was effectively finished, describing Chahar’s current performances in harsh terms and saying he looked like a player who should be sent away for remedial work rather than being relied upon in a high-pressure XI.
MI’s tournament run so far
Before the Bengaluru challenge, Mumbai Indians began IPL 2026 with a dominant six-wicket win over Kolkata Knight Riders at Eden Gardens. The momentum did not last, though, as the Hardik Pandya-led unit then suffered a six-wicket defeat to Delhi Capitals.
MI’s campaign also included a 27-run loss against Rajasthan Royals, leaving the side in a position where every remaining game will matter. That context makes Srikkanth’s comments land even harder as the team prepares for a critical clash against RCB at Wankhede Stadium.
