NEW DELHI: In a big boost for the Mumbai Indians, their captain Hardik Pandya will be available for the IPL 2026 clash against the Rajasthan Royals at the ACA Stadium in Barsapara, Guwahati, the franchise’s bowling coach Paras Mhambrey confirmed on Monday.“He will be available, he had a good couple of hours of net session yesterday. He is fit and fine. Just to clarify, Hardik wasn’t injured, he was unwell, that’s why he missed the game,” Mambrey said in the pre-match press conference.Pandya, a key figure in the side, missed MI’s previous outing due to illness, and his absence proved costly in their six-wicket defeat to Delhi Capitals on Saturday.While India T20I skipper Suryakumar Yadav stepped in to lead and ensured continuity, the five-time IPL champions missed Pandya’s all-round abilities on a tacky surface.His absence also forced a rejig in the combination. Deepak Chahar, drafted in for the game, delivered a tidy spell, but the decision to bring in pace all-rounder Corbin Bosch in place of seasoned left-arm pacer Trent Boult backfired, with the South African leaking runs.Despite picking two wickets early in the second essay, MI couldn’t prevent DC from chasing down the 163-run target with eleven balls and six wickets to spare.Shardul Thakur, who starred with the ball in their opening game, was expensive in the last outing, while the ever-reliable Jasprit Bumrah has been economical but is yet to open his account this season.In the spin department, Mitchell Santner justified his selection ahead of Afghan mystery spinner Allah Ghazanfar and is likely to retain his place.The MI bowlers, however, will need to raise their game against a Rajasthan top order that has been in excellent form so far.RR openers Yashasvi Jaiswal and teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi have provided explosive starts, with Dhruv Jurel then building on the momentum.New skipper Riyan Parag is yet to make a significant contribution with the bat but will take confidence from his leadership, particularly his tactical decisions at the death that guided the Royals to a thrilling win over the Gujarat Titans.Among the bowlers, Tushar Deshpande and Ravi Bishnoi have been impressive.Bishnoi has emerged as the joint leading wicket-taker with five scalps from two matches, marking a strong turnaround after a challenging 2025 season following which he worked on multiple aspects of his game.Deshpande, meanwhile, showcased his death-bowling skills by successfully defending 10 runs in the final over against the Titans, conceding just four with a series of pinpoint yorkers.With Mumbai, currently sixth on the points table, seeking to bounce back and second placed Rajasthan riding a wave of confidence, the contest’s result could hinge on how effectively MI’s bowlers handle the Royals’ in-form top order.
