29 April,2026 09:35 AM IST | Mumbai | Subodh Mayure
James Franklin. Pic/Satej Shinde
Whether a struggling Mumbai Indians (MI) will bounce back in IPL-19 or not is totally dependent on how they negotiate Sunrisers Hyderabad's (SRH) in-form batters in tonight's encounter at the Wankhede Stadium.
The Hardik Pandya-led MI have managed to win just two out of seven games while Pat Cummins's Hyderabad outfit, who have won five out of eight matches so far, are enjoying the momentum at the halfway stage of the tournament.
Opener Abhishek Sharma (380 runs), Heinrich Klaasen (349) and Ishan Kishan (312) have already showcased their potential while SRH's Sri Lankan pacer Eshan Malinga is their most successful bowler, claiming 14 scalps.
SRH assistant coach James Franklin has backed key batter Abhishek and his preparation for this next game. "He [Abhishek] likes to have conversations around the different bowlers that he's going to be coming up against in the next game. So, he'll be well aware of how they [MI bowlers] might come at him," Franklin said during the pre-match press conference on Tuesday.
The former NZ all-rounder in fact emphasised that the attacking batter is looking forward to the challenge posed by Jasprit Bumrah & Co. "Abhishek is very detailed with how he plans and prepares for oppositions. He'll know what MI's bowlers will try and present to him, particularly in the Powerplay," added Franklin.
Meanwhile, MI's batting worries persist as Suryakumar Yadav, who has scored 157 runs in seven games, continues to be their leading run-getter, while opener Rohit Sharma's recovery from a hamstring injury is still a mystery.
