A Mumbai Indians outfit that is constantly blowing hot and cold will face an ever-improving Sunrisers Hyderabad in match number 37 of the Indian Premier League at Vizag on Sunday. Mumbai have been inconsistent throughout the event. Everytime they have had a sequence of bad games, they have followed it up with impressive efforts, and vice versa. They really haven't found the mid-tournament consistency that they are renowned for. As for Sunrisers, they did not begin the series very well, but their curve has constantly been on the upswing ever since they have found their groove. Both teams find themselves at the middle of the points table and will be keen to move ahead.
Like every year, Mumbai Indians are depending on their skipper to lead from the front. And, he hasn't really disappointed, except for when Mumbai have been batting first. In chases, Rohit has been absolutely brilliant. There have been good efforts from the rest as well, with Parthiv Patel delivering a cracking match-winning effort in one of the games, Ambati Rayudu also doing well on a number of occasions. In Kieron Pollard and Jos Buttler, they have arguably two of the most dangerous hitters in the T20 format. But, Buttler is yet to find his range in the IPL.
The inconsistency has seeped into Mumbai's bowling as well. Mitchell McClenaghan has been the best bowler for the team by some distance. Not only has he stopped the runs, but has been among the wickets as well. Tim Southee has partnered him at the other end, and while he has been reasonably economical, the Kiwi pacer hasn't been as dangerous as expected. In the spin department, Harbhajan Singh has been the go to man for Rohit. But, while he has kept the runs down, the offie has failed to be a threat factor. The Pandya brothers -- Krunal and Hardik -- have done their bit for the team.
Sunrisers have improved in leaps and bounds since the start of tournament. At a time when they were constantly losing, their skipper David Warner did not lose hope and kept playing blistering knocks for his team. This unbridled confidence seems to have definitely rubbed off on the team. Shikhar Dhawan, in particular, has recovered impressively after a horror start to IPL 9, and now is providing good company to Warner. Eoin Morgan and Kane Williamson are also slowly but surely finding their range. Yuvraj Singh did not have an impressive comeback on a tough pitch, so he will be keen to impress on Sunday. 
While their batting has been a bit up and down, they have been the most consistent outfit with the ball. This was on show against Gujarat Lions, who were handed their third defeat in a row. Mustafizur Rahman without doubt has been the bowler of the season so far. He may not have picked up bagful of wickets, but when it comes to impact, there has been no one better than him. At the top of the innings, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Ashish Nehra have been absolutely brilliant, and have definitely played a part in the team's rise in the event. Sunrisers will be keen for another big prey in Mumbai.
-- By A Cricket Analyst
