Rajasthan Royals (RR) continue their IPL 2025 campaign with a high-stakes encounter against Mumbai Indians (MI) in the much-anticipated RR vs MI preview. The two sides will meet in Match 50 of the tournament at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur on Thursday, May 1.
Table of contents
- RR vs MI: Preview
- RR vs MI: Recent Form
- RR vs MI: Head-to-Head
- RR vs MI: Pitch Report and Weather Conditions
- RR vs MI: Team News and Predicted XI
- RR vs MI: Players To Watch Out For
- RR vs MI: Prediction
- When and Where To Watch Rajasthan Royals vs Mumbai Indians Riders LIVE? Broadcast and Streaming Details
- FAQs
RR vs MI: Preview
Across 18 seasons of the IPL, only a handful of matches have managed to carve a permanent space in the tournament’s rich history. One such game—whenever Mumbai Indians and Rajasthan Royals are mentioned—inevitably transports fans back to that unforgettable night in 2014, a night of bedlam, disbelief, and unfiltered drama.
It was the night Corey Anderson dismantled RR’s bowling attack, James Faulkner bowled that infamous full toss, and Aditya Tare sealed the script with a six that etched his name into IPL folklore. Even the ever-composed Rahul Dravid couldn’t contain his emotions, hurling his cap to the ground in exasperation. It was more than just a cricket match—it was sporting theatre at its finest.
Now, eleven years later, as RR and MI prepare to battle again—this time in Jaipur—the memories of that Wankhede spectacle still linger. And after what 14-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi pulled off on Monday night, there’s a sense that something equally extraordinary might unfold at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium.
Suryavanshi’s sensational 101 off just 38 deliveries snapped RR’s painful run of five straight losses and reignited their slim playoff hopes. But with the games coming thick and fast, there’s no luxury of basking in the afterglow. On Thursday, they come up against an MI unit that’s humming with momentum—unbeaten in five, and firmly planted in the top two.
Thursday’s fixture is poised to be a showdown between a team sparked back to life and another soaring at full throttle. It promises to be one of the most intriguing contests of the week—an ideal centrepiece for any RR vs MI Preview feature.
Royals Reignite Hope with Teen Sensation
There was a heartwarming sight for the few Rajasthan Royals fans who turned up at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium on Wednesday evening to catch a glimpse of their team at practice. Sanju Samson, back in the fold, was spotted enjoying a lively game of foot volleyball with his teammates.
It hardly mattered that he wasn’t the standout in the pre-nets warm-up, or that his side suffered a 7-1 loss. The real takeaway was that Samson later padded up and spent time in the nets, a reassuring sign for fans and management alike.
While the Royals have certainly felt the absence of their skipper due to a side strain in recent games, his void has been remarkably filled by 14-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi. In fact, even with Samson’s return, the spotlight belonged to the teenager. Suryavanshi drew more attention from the sparse crowd, happily obliging requests for selfies and autographs as he ran through his catching drills near the boundary ropes.
It’s easy to see why. Under the Jaipur floodlights just days earlier, a new star of Indian cricket announced his arrival with a record-smashing century, reigniting RR’s campaign and injecting hope into an otherwise faltering season.
That stunning victory, however, hasn’t drastically altered RR’s playoff equation. They still cling to mathematical chances at best as they gear up to take on a resurgent Mumbai Indians side riding a five-game winning streak. The build-up to this clash has rightly earned a place in several RR vs MI Preview discussions across cricketing circles.
Challenges & Advantages for Rajasthan Royals
Whether or not Samson takes the field, Royals will continue to draw strength from the exploits of their young sensation. And perhaps, in doing so, they’ll present world-class bowlers like Jasprit Bumrah and Trent Boult with their most unusual challenge yet—figuring out how to dismiss a 14-year-old prodigy.
Rajasthan Royals will take confidence from their impressive recent record against Mumbai Indians at home, having won each of their last five encounters in Jaipur. In fact, MI haven’t tasted victory at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium since 2012.
One key factor in RR’s favour could be the match-up between pacer Sandeep Sharma and Rohit Sharma. The veteran seamer has had the better of the former MI skipper in T20s, dismissing him five times in 12 innings while conceding just 38 runs off 44 balls—a rare hold over one of the league’s most destructive openers.
While Rajasthan Royals will take heart from their dominance over MI at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium—where the visitors haven’t won since 2012 and have lost four straight games—there are concerns in the pace department. RR’s pace attack has been heavily reliant on just two names: Jofra Archer and Sandeep Sharma. The duo has combined for 19 wickets this season, while the rest of the Royals’ pacers have collectively managed only six, highlighting a lopsided bowling performance. That imbalance could tilt the odds in Thursday’s RR vs MI Preview contest.
MI’s Resurgence Sets Up High-Stakes Clash
Rohit Sharma has rediscovered his rhythm, Jasprit Bumrah is delivering masterclasses with the ball, Suryakumar Yadav is painting the field with strokes of brilliance, Trent Boult is swinging it dangerously, and Will Jacks has found form after a slow start. MI, suddenly, appear unstoppable.
Meanwhile, MI’s in-form batter and current India T20 captain Suryakumar Yadav continues to make waves, having equalled Robin Uthappa’s record for the most consecutive IPL scores of 25 or more (10 innings). His consistency remains a pillar of MI’s recent resurgence.
At the other end, MI’s pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah is once again underlining his value with the ball. His economy rate of 7.5 is the best among all fast bowlers who have bowled at least 10 overs this season, highlighting the control and impact he continues to bring to the attack.
Mumbai Indians’ current five-match winning streak could be a sign of bigger things to come. Historically, whenever MI have won five or more games on the trot in an IPL season—barring their inaugural campaign in 2008—they’ve gone on to reach the final.
It’s fitting that this match-up serves as the centrepiece for this week’s RR vs MI Preview features. With both teams carrying contrasting storylines into this high-stakes game, the potential for another iconic chapter in IPL history is very real.
RR vs MI: Recent Form
Rajasthan Royals WLLLL (last five completed matches, most recent first)
Mumbai Indians WWWWW
RR vs MI: Head-to-Head
Historically, the rivalry between the two teams has been closely contested, with Mumbai Indians narrowly leading 15-14. However, Rajasthan Royals have dominated on their home turf in Jaipur, winning 6 of the 8 encounters there.
- Matches Played: 29
- Won by Rajasthan Royals: 14
- Won by Mumbai Indians: 15
- Tied: 0
- No Result: 0
- First-ever Fixture: May 7, 2008
- Most-recent Fixture: April 22, 2024
RR vs MI: Pitch Report and Weather Conditions
In the previous Jaipur fixture, Gujarat Titans struggled against pace, while Rashid Khan managed to contain runs effectively, finishing with figures of 4-0-24-0. Rajasthan’s Maheesh Theekshana also found some purchase from the surface, claiming 2 for 35. However, with top-quality pacers like Archer for RR and Boult and Bumrah for MI, both teams will be banking on their fast bowlers to adapt across conditions.
As per Trent Boult, there’s little assistance expected in terms of swing, spin, or bounce. Though 180 is generally considered par at this venue, the last match showed even 200-plus scores can be chased, especially in oppressive heat with temperatures nearing 40°C.
RR vs MI: Team News and Predicted XI
RR – Team News
Sanju Samson will miss Thursday’s game as he continues to recover from a side strain. While he’s resumed training and is involved in warm-up drills, he’s not expected to take the field just yet
Sandeep Sharma has a strong track record against Mumbai Indians, including a notable performance last season where he took five wickets at this venue. He has had particular success against Rohit Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav, dismissing them five and four times respectively. He is likely to play a crucial role during the powerplay.
RR – Predicted XI
- Vaibhav Suryavanshi
- Yashasvi Jaiswal
- Nitish Rana
- Riyan Parag (capt)
- Dhruv Jurel (wk)
- Shimron Hetmyer
- Shubham Dube
- Wanindu Hasaranga
- Jofra Archer
- Maheesh Theekshana
- Sandeep Sharma
- Yudhvir Singh
MI – Team News
Corbin Bosch impressed in his debut outing for Mumbai Indians, stepping in for the unwell Mitchell Santner against Lucknow Super Giants. He scored a quick 20 off 10 balls and returned figures of 1 for 26, making a strong case for retention. Should Santner recover, Hardik Pandya will have a tough call to make. As of now, there are no reported injury concerns in the MI camp.
On the other side, Rajasthan Royals continue to face issues in the death overs, a phase where Jasprit Bumrah poses a significant threat. He has consistently troubled Shimron Hetmyer, dismissing him three times in just 15 deliveries while giving away only 20 runs.
MI – Predicted XI
- Rohit Sharma
- Ryan Rickelton (wk)
- Suryakumar Yadav
- Tilak Varma
- Will Jacks
- Hardik Pandya (capt)
- Naman Dhir
- Corbin Bosch/Mitchell Santner
- Deepak Chahar
- Trent Boult
- Jasprit Bumrah
- Karn Sharma
RR vs MI: Players To Watch Out For
Vaibhav Suryavanshi (RR)
Vaibhav Suryavanshi announced his arrival in the IPL with a six and has since surged into the limelight with a sensational century. His sharp bat-swing and impressive hand-eye coordination have caught the attention of onlookers and rival teams alike.
RR batting coach Vikram Rathour shared that Suryavanshi is one of the rare batters who eagerly faces Jofra Archer’s fiery spells in the nets. With a showdown against Jasprit Bumrah on the horizon, the young prodigy is set to be in the spotlight once more.
Rohit Sharma (MI)
Kieron Pollard believes the changing tone of press-conference questions highlights Rohit Sharma’s resurgence with the bat. After managing only 56 runs across his first six innings and sitting out one match due to a niggle, Rohit has bounced back with scores of 26, 76*, 70, and 12—each marked by his trademark intent in the powerplay.
His return to form has coincided with MI’s impressive winning streak. The big question now is whether he can maintain this momentum.
RR vs MI: Prediction
Scenario 1
- Toss: Rajasthan Royals win the toss and bowl
- Powerplay Score: 195-200
- Mumbai Indians Total: 160-170
- Match Result: Rajasthan Royals win the match
Scenario 2
- Toss: Mumbai Indians win the toss and bowl
- Powerplay Score: 55-65
- Rajasthan Royals Total: 200-205
- Match Result: Mumbai Indians win the match
When and Where To Watch Rajasthan Royals vs Mumbai Indians Riders LIVE? Broadcast and Streaming Details
The Indian Premier League 2025 clash between Rajasthan Royals and Mumbai Indians is set to begin at 7:30 PM IST on Thursday, May 1, at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur. The match will be broadcast live on the Star Sports network and will also be available for live streaming on JioHotstar for FREE.
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FAQs
Mumbai Indians lead with 15 wins out of 29 matches, while Rajasthan Royals have won 14.
The 14-year-old sensation scored a blistering century and has revived RR’s campaign, quickly becoming the team’s breakout star.
Sanju Samson is back in training but is unlikely to feature due to a lingering side strain.
MI are on a five-match winning streak, with key players like Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, and Jasprit Bumrah in top form.
RR have won their last five home matches against MI in Jaipur, where the visitors haven’t secured a win since 2012.
