The defending champions Mumbai Indians will lock horns with Rajasthan Royals in the first game of the double-header at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi. Both teams have had a mixed outing so far in IPL 2021 and will look to bounce off the blocks and set the record straight as we enter the midway of the tournament.

Mumbai Indians are set to return to the field after a six-day break, and at the back of two consecutive losses. The backroom staffs have got the time to work on the loopholes and it is expected that the Rohit Sharma-led side will bounce back against Rajasthan Royals – who loiter at the seventh spot in the points table. There have been individual performances here and there for Mumbai but they are yet to come out as a team and deliver which they are known for.

On the other hand, Rajasthan Royals have been hit by the absence of Ben Stokes and Jofra Archer. However, they will look to move on and showcase some good cricket against Mumbai Indians. The top-order hasn’t fired and skipper Sanju Samson struggling for consistency have hit them bad. The champions of the 2008 season will have to play out of their skins to pull off a victory against MI and avenge a comeback.

IPL 2021: Mumbai Indians (MI) vs Rajasthan Royals (RR) at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi from 3:30 PM IST

Match Prediction – Who will win the match?

While it may look like a one-sided encounter, Rajasthan Royals have had good success against Mumbai Indians in the past. In head-to-head encounters, MI and RR share the table with 11 wins each while the umpires failed to find an outcome in one outing.

Unlike one presumes, it will be an exciting tie with both teams desperate for a victory to bounce back in IPL 2021. But, Mumbai will enter the contest as the favourites considering the players they boast in their playing XI.