MI vs CSK, IPL 2024: Will Mumbai Indians Finally Hand Their 'New Malinga' Nuwan Thushara A Debut?

Add as a preferred source on Google

Mumbai Indians (MI) has wiped out a three-match losing streak with successive wins to get their IPL 2024 campaign back on track, but the five-time champions may look to address the leaky bowling attack for the clash against Chennai Super Kings.

MI will face their long-time rivals CSK at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Sunday (April 14). Although MI has won the last two games at their home venue, their bowling bar Jasprit Bumrah has struggled to contain the run-flow.

While Bumrah has been very economical and also bagged wickets, the other bowlers have all gone for runs in MI's wins over Delhi Capitals and Royal Challengers Bengaluru. In the most recent outing, Bumrah conceded 5.2 runs per over compared to an economy rate of 10 or more by the other pacers.

Akash Madhwal, Gerald Coetzee, Romario Shepherd and Hardik Pandya all leaked runs, but Bumrah and the spin duo of Mohammad Nabi as well as Shreyas Gopal ensured RCB posted a total below 200, which was later chased down by the hosts inside 16 overs.

Bowling at Wankhede Stadium has been a nightmare for bowlers, but Mumbai Indians do have a very familiar weapon to possibly address their fast bowling concerns in the form of their new Lasith Malinga - Nuwan Thushara, who was a Rs 4.2 Crore buy in last year's auction.

MI are yet to unleash the slingy-actioned pacer in the ongoing season, handing the likes of Kwena Maphaka and Luke Wood a game ahead of the Sri Lanka pacer. But will they finally hand Thushara his debut against one of their rivals?

Will Mumbai Indians hand Nuwan Thushara a debut against Chennai Super Kings?

With the current combination clicking as a unit and skipper Hardik Pandya also confirming that they played their best possible 11 after the victory over DC, it's unlikely for Thushara to make his debut against CSK.

Tim David, Romario Shepherd, Mohammad Nabi and Gerald Coetzee have been the preferred overseas options in the last two matches for MI. And among them, only Nabi could make way if MI wants to play Thushara.

If the change happens, then MI will also leave out Akash Madhwal from the playing 11 with a spin option like Kumar Kartikeya coming into the side to add balance. However, MI will retain Nabi to counter the threat of three left-handers in the CSK batting line up.