Jasprit Bumrah was left out of the Mumbai Indians’ starting XI for their IPL 2026 fixture against the Rajasthan Royals on Sunday. MI captain Hardik Pandya confirmed at the toss that Bumrah had been rested for the match, with Shardul Thakur coming into the side to fill the gap.
Rajasthan’s XI also saw changes for the game. Riyan Parag and Ravindra Jadeja were named in the team, with Jadeja listed as the Impact Sub. For the Royals, victory was essential to keep their playoff hopes alive, while a defeat would mean they would be knocked out of contention.
Hardik Pandya, speaking at the toss, said, “We’ll bowl first. It looks like a good surface and it usually improves as the evening comes in. It’s a very special day overall—Reliance Foundation has helped and reached about 29 lakh people. It’s a privilege to be part of this. Every year when we come here, we know this particular match will have the loudest and best atmosphere. We just want to play good cricket for the kids and ensure they leave with some great memories. The pitch looks like it’s going to be challenging, and it should get better once the sun goes down.”
Later in the same toss update, Hardik added, “It’s been a tough season for us, but we want to finish on a high. Jassi (Jasprit Bumrah) is resting and Deepak Chahar is in.” He also noted that the replacement was made accordingly, with Bumrah being rested and Shardul Thakur included in the playing XI, while Deepak Chahar remains in the starting group as it was in the previous match.
