Key game for RCB and Mumbai Indians (Preview)

A battered and bruised Mumbai Indians, who have lost all their four games thus far in the 2015 Indian Premier League (IPL), will be hoping for a turnaround in their fortunes here on Sunday when they take on Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB).

For all their firepower in batting, Mumbai Indians stood exposed in the bowling department, especially on Friday night at home, when they failed to defend a top total of 183.

Just 48 hours later, they will have to deal with RCB's muscle power represented by Chris Gayle and AB de Villiers, not to forget the silken touch of skipper Virat Kohli.

Going by the statements of Mumbai Indians skipper Rohit Sharma, the team is still to find a winning combination and balance and they can ill afford to lose many more matches if they hope to make it to the playoffs, though it is far too early in the tournament to look that far ahead.

On the other hand, RCB, with a win over Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) followed by a defeat to Sunrisers Hyderabad in a home game, are still to find their collective feet this season. Though Gayle gave glimpses of his destructive power with a 56-ball 96 against KKR, but the bowling overall is still to gain appreciable sharpness.

RCB have been without their two star fast bowlers, Aussie Mitchell Starc, man of the tournament at the 2015 World Cup, and Kiwi Adam Milne, both recovering from niggles. While Milne is expected to lead the pack on Sunday, Starc is likely to arrive here the same day, though it remains to be seen whether he will be fit to play after the long haul from Australia.

RCB would be hoping that their bowlers, who have taken just eight wickets in two matches and were cruelly exposed by David Warner's Sunrisers earlier this week as the visitors hunted down a target of 167 in 17.2 overs, will come into their own.

Thus far, leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal has looked the best of the RCB bowlers and he withstood the Sunrisers' onslaught to walk away with 2/28 while others received a pounding.

RCB would again look up to Chahal but unless others pitch in, Mumbai Indians, with the likes of Rohit and Kieron Pollard in their ranks, and in top form, can run away with the game.

Yet, Mumbai Indians have major concerns in the bowling department with the likes of Harbhajan Singh and Lasith Malinga, though with nine wickets between them, have not really fired in unision.

The two, however, have shown the ability to find form to turn match-winners. The visitors will be depending a lot on this pair to contain the mercurial RCB batsmen.

However, for all the peering at the crystal ball, the weather could still have a final say in Sunday's outcome. The past week has seen rains every evening and the excellent drainage at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium here notwithstanding, both teams will be hoping to get a full game with Mumbai Indians trying to open their account and RCB looking to get some momentum in their campaign.