Mumbai, Delhi lock horns

The difference of five titles between Mumbai Indians (5) and Delhi Capitals (0) will matter little when the heavyweights lock horns in an Indian Premier League 2022 contest at the Brabourne Stadium here on Sunday.

MI has managed to hold on to its core, which includes skipper Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Ishan Kishan, Kieron Pollard and Jasprit Bumrah. But, the ever reliable Suryakumar is unavailable for the match as he is undergoing rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru.

Mumbai will have to fix its lower middle-order, where the big-hitting Pollard is the only experienced campaigner. New faces like Murugan Ashwin and Sanjay Yadav may get an opportunity in the spin department, with Bumrah leading the bowling attack.

MI’s rival DC will miss a few foreign players for its season opener as skipper Rishabh Pant has his work cut out. Since Shimron Hetmyer is no longer at the franchise, fellow West Indian Rovman Powell could take up his role in the team.

Focus on Kohli in Bangalore-Punjab match

Stepping down from captaincy may unburden Virat Kohli the batter, but the focus will remain on the maestro when Royal Challengers Bangalore takes on Punjab Kings at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai on Sunday.

Kohli would look to rediscover his glorious touch and begin the IPL 2022 campaign on a positive note. While Bangalore has a new man at the helm – Faf du Plessis – it will have to make do with the absence of the Australian duo of Glenn Maxwell and Josh Hazlewood.

Meanwhile, Punjab, which picked up quality players at the auction, would be keen to make an impact in the very first match under Mayank Agarwal.