IPL 2026: MI’s Ultimate Lineup vs RR

Mumbai Indians will be aiming to regain their winning form as they face Rajasthan Royals in Match 13 of the 2026 Indian Premier League. The team recently ended a 14-year streak of not winning their opening match by defeating the Kolkata Knight Riders at the Wankhede Stadium. However, they followed this with a loss against a strong Delhi Capitals side at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. Now, they are heading to the Barasapara Stadium in Guwahati to take on an in-form Royals team that has won its first two games.

Here is the best possible Playing XI for MI vs RR:

Top Order

Rohit Sharma – The former India skipper has shown great form, scoring 78 off just 38 balls against the Knight Riders. He also scored 35 against the Delhi Capitals and is expected to continue setting the tone for Mumbai.
Ryan Rickelton (WK) – Started his IPL 2026 campaign with a brilliant 81, forming a massive 147-run partnership with Rohit against the Knight Riders.
Tilak Varma – Recently found success as a pace-hitter for the Indian team. He was playing at number 5 before, but his performance had started to decline. He is back at one-drop for MI, though he hasn’t made a significant impact yet, with scores of 20 and 0. Despite this, he is expected to continue.

Middle Order

Suryakumar Yadav – Has been performing well, scoring 51 against the Capitals. He was MI’s best batter in IPL 2025, scoring 717 runs and earning the Most Valuable Player award. He is expected to perform similarly in 2026.
Sherfane Rutherford – Had a poor outing against the Delhi Capitals, but his ability to hit sixes is unquestioned.
Hardik Pandya (C) – Made a return to the middle order after missing the DC game due to illness. His presence adds strength to the team.
Naman Dhir – Has shown strong boundary-hitting abilities and is expected to complete the middle order.

Lower Order/Bowlers

Mitchell Santner – Added more firepower to the Mumbai Indians’ bowling attack. He bowled three overs against DC, conceding just 22 runs and picking up one wicket. His return is a boost for the team.
Shardul Thakur – Was the Player of the Match against the Kolkata Knight Riders, taking three wickets in his first game for MI. His presence adds much-needed firepower.
Trent Boult – Expected to return to the XI, as the conditions in Guwahati are favorable for swing bowling.
Jasprit Bumrah – Has been economical, conceding 35 and 21 against KKR and DC respectively. However, he hasn’t picked up a wicket yet and will be looking to open his account in 2026.
Deepak Chahar (Impact Player) – Was the impact player, taking the wicket of KL Rahul against the Delhi Capitals. His batting is an added plus, as he can be subbed in during a collapse.