New Delhi: Delhi Capitals will seek to consolidate their dominant start to the Indian Premier League 2025 campaign when they take on the inconsistent Mumbai Indians in Match 29 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium here on Sunday evening.
The Capitals have been a well-oiled unit this season, unbeaten after four games, second on the points table, and playing with the kind of clarity and confidence that most teams envy. In sharp contrast, Mumbai find themselves in a familiar mire, languishing in eighth place with just one win from five matches.
At the heart of Delhi’s perfect start is the form of KL Rahul, who has emerged as the fulcrum of their batting lineup. The stylish right-hander has not only brought stability at the top but has played the role of the aggressor when needed. His unbeaten 93 off 53 deliveries in Delhi’s last match, a clinical six-wicket win over Royal Challengers Bengaluru, was a masterclass in chasing under pressure. From 58 for 4, Rahul stitched together a match-winning partnership of 111 runs with Tristan Stubbs, who contributed a crucial 38* off 23 balls.
With 185 runs from three innings at an impressive strike rate of 169.72, Rahul’s presence has transformed Delhi’s batting approach, measured when required, and explosive when opportunity arises. Stubbs, meanwhile, has been a perfect foil in the middle order, rotating strike and capitalising on loose deliveries with finesse.
Delhi’s bowling attack, too, has been clicking on all cylinders. Mitchell Starc’s pace up front has fetched him 9 wickets in four matches, while Kuldeep Yadav has been outstanding with his wrist spin in the middle overs, taking 8 wickets and going at a miserly 5.66 runs per over.
Youngster Vipraj Nigam has emerged as a valuable asset, keeping things tight and picking up key breakthroughs, his 2/18 against RCB being a standout performance. Axar Patel’s allround presence and Mohit Sharma’s deceptive slower balls have added depth and variety, allowing Delhi to attack throughout the 20 overs.
While Delhi have looked settled and threatening, Mumbai continue to battle inconsistency, both with bat and ball. Their most recent outing saw them fall short by 12 runs while chasing a daunting 222 against RCB at Wankhede. Though Tilak Varma (56 off 29) and captain Hardik Pandya (42 off 15) led a spirited late fightback, the top order once again failed to build a solid foundation.
Suryakumar Yadav has been their lone bright spot in the batting department with 199 runs in five innings at a strike rate above 150, but support has been lacking. Rohit Sharma has yet to find his rhythm, while Will Jacks and Ryan Rickelton have failed to convert starts into substantial scores.
Pandya, under growing pressure as captain, has tried to lead by example with the ball, picking up 10 wickets at an economy of 8.57. However, his bowlers have struggled to contain runs at key moments.
Trent Boult and Mitchell Santner have shown promise in patches, but haven’t been able to deliver consistently. Jasprit Bumrah’s return has been a boost, but the ace pacer is still working his way back to full rhythm. Vignesh Puthur, the new face in the XI, has quietly impressed with regular wickets in each match, though he hasn’t been able to change games singlehandedly.
The match venue is expected to favour batsmen. The Arun Jaitley Stadium has seen several high-scoring encounters in recent editions, including a record 266-7 by Sunrisers Hyderabad last year. With an average first innings score of around 170 and flat surfaces offering little for bowlers, anything under 180 could be considered below par.
Moreover, the toss is expected to play a crucial role. All five matches at this ground during IPL 2024 were won by the side batting first, suggesting that setting a total is the preferred strategy.
When these two sides last met at this venue on April 27, 2024, Delhi edged out Mumbai by 10 runs in a high-scoring thriller. In their last three encounters, Mumbai have won two matches, while Delhi claimed one win, their most recent meeting.
Delhi, in their current form, are overwhelming favourites. With Rahul anchoring the innings, a settled bowling unit firing in tandem, and momentum firmly on their side, they are eyeing their fifth consecutive win.
Mumbai, on the other hand, face a must-win scenario to avoid slipping further down the table. For them, it will come down to finding early breakthroughs, dismissing Rahul and Stubbs cheaply, and hoping for a collective performance from the top order. Anything less could see them chasing the game, both literally and figuratively, once again.
The match is scheduled to begin at 7:30 PM IST on Sunday.
Predicted Playing XIs:
Delhi Capitals: Faf du Plessis, Jake Fraser-McGurk, KL Rahul (wk), Tristan Stubbs, Axar Patel (c), Ashutosh Sharma, Vipraj Nigam, Mitchell Starc, Mohit Sharma, Kuldeep Yadav, Mukesh Kumar. Impact Player: Abishek Porel.
Mumbai Indians: Will Jacks, Ryan Rickelton (wk), Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya (c), Naman Dhir, Mitchell Santner, Deepak Chahar, Trent Boult, Jasprit Bumrah, Vignesh Puthur. Impact Player: Rohit Sharma.
