Rohit Sharma has a legacy to defend, Virat Kohli would be looking to create one while a ‘been-there-done-that’ Mahendra Singh Dhoni seems ready to pull off a fresh trick when the Indian Premier League starts in Chennai on Friday, cooped up in a bio-bubble as a raging pandemic wreaks fresh havoc.
Two editions of IPL within a space of five months isn't an ideal situation for all the stakeholders. But for the fans at large, exhausted by the second wave of COVID-19 with cases going past the one lakh mark daily, watching towering sixes, toe-crushers and new talents unearthed will be a welcome diversion in the next seven weeks.
The opening encounter will be between defending champions Mumbai Indians and under-achievers Royal Challengers Bangalore and the big-hitters on both sides will ensure that necessary fireworks will be there even if fans are absent from the stands thanks to the pandemic.
The virus has cast its shadow on the league in the build-up stage with some positive cases among both players and support staff. But with a strict bio-bubble in place for the games, the BCCI would be hoping for a smooth run just like the previous edition in the UAE.
Here are all the details from IPL 2021 game between Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bangalore:
When will the IPL 2021 match between Mumbai Indians (MI) vs Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) start?
The IPL 2021 opening match between MI and RCB will be played on April 9.
Where will the IPL 2021 match between Mumbai Indians (MI) vs Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) be played?
The IPL 2021 match between MI and RCB will be played at MA Chidambaram stadium in Chennai.
What time will the IPL 2021 match between Mumbai Indians (MI) vs Royal Challengers (RCB) begin?
The IPL 2021 opening match between MI and RCB will begin at 07:30 PM IST. The toss will take place at 07:00 PM IST.
Which TV channels will broadcast the IPL 2021 match between Mumbai Indians (MI) and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB)?
The IPL 2021 opening match between MI and RCB will broadcast on Star Sports Network.
How do I watch live streaming of the IPL 2021 season opener between Mumbai Indians (MI) vs Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB)?
The live streaming of the IPL 2021 opening game between MI and RCB match will be available on Disney+ Hotstar. You can also catch live scores and updates at zeenews.india.com.
Full squads:
Mumbai Indians (MI): Rohit Sharma, Quinton de Kock (WK), Suryakumar Yadav, Ishan Kishan (WK), Chris Lynn, Anmolpreet Singh, Saurabh Tiwary, Aditya Tare, Kieron Pollard, Hardik Pandya, Krunal Pandya, Anukul Roy, Jasprit Bumrah, Trent Boult, Rahul Chahar, Jayant Yadav, Dhawal Kulkarni, Mohsin Khan, Adam Milne, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Piyush Chawla, James Neesham, Yudhvir Charak, Marco Jansen, and Arjun Tendulkar
Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB): Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers, Navdeep Saini, Kane Richardson, Adam Zampa, Shahbaz Ahmed, Josh Philippe, Pavan Deshpande, Yuzvendra Chahal, Washington Sundar, Mohammed Siraj, Devdutt Padikkal, S. Bharat, Suyash Prabhudessai, Daniel Christian, Kyle Jamieson, Mohammed Azharuddeen, Rajat Patidar, Sachin Baby, Glenn Maxwell.
