Mumbai Indians have yet to claim a victory, losing both encounters in IPL 2025, while Kolkata Knight Riders finally found their rhythm in the previous match. The batting and bowling units of the five-time champions have struggled to perform in unison, and as they prepare for their inaugural home match of the season, MI will be eager to make a statement against the reigning champions.
Having encountered a rocky start in the 2025 IPL season with two losses, the Mumbai Indians return home after their pre-season training, hoping that the familiar surroundings will spark a winning streak. The batting lineup faltered on the challenging pitch in Ahmedabad, but they will embrace the favorable conditions at Wankhede as they clash with the defending titleholders, Kolkata Knight Riders.
In the Ahmedabad match against the Gujarat Titans, MI made some surprising alterations to their squad, leaving both Will Jacks and Vignesh Puthur out of the lineup. With the Robin Minz strategy falling flat, it’s anticipated that both players will be reinstated. Conversely, the Knight Riders experienced a nearly flawless outing on a pitch they would have preferred to call home; it provided assistance but retained enough speed for batsmen to settle in and accumulate runs.
However, at a batting-friendly venue like Wankhede Stadium, the situation might not be as straightforward for the Knight Riders, especially their bowlers. Sunil Narine is likely to make a comeback for the visitors after missing the Guwahati match due to illness. Quinton de Kock’s stellar performance in the last game will undoubtedly instill confidence in his teammates, including Narine, Angkrish Raghuwanshi, and Venkatesh Iyer, pushing them to attack from the outset with their extensive batting lineup.
While the Knight Riders will be regarded as the favorites, the first home match at Wankhede Stadium may ignite additional motivation for MI players to rise to the occasion.
MI vs KKR IPL 2025 Pitch Overview
The pitch at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai is generally recognized as a high-scoring terrain. Due to its red soil makeup and compact boundaries, conditions are expected to be advantageous for the batsmen. The team that wins the toss will likely choose to bowl first.
Probable Playing XIIs
Mumbai Indians: Rohit Sharma, Ryan Rickelton (wk), Will Jacks, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya (c), Naman Dhir, Mitchell Santner, Deepak Chahar, Trent Boult, Satyanarayana Raju, Vignesh Puthur
Kolkata Knight Riders: Quinton de Kock (w), Sunil Narine, Ajinkya Rahane (c), Venkatesh Iyer, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Rinku Singh, Andre Russell, Ramandeep Singh, Harshit Rana, Spencer Johnson/Anrich Nortje, Varun Chakaravarthy, Vaibhav Arora
