Who won toss RCB vs MI: Is Hardik Pandya playing today’s IPL 2021 match vs RCB?

Is Hardik Pandya playing: The star all-rounder from Mumbai Indians had missed their first two IPL 2021 Phase 2 matches.

During the 39th match of the ongoing 14th season of the Indian Premier League between Royal Challengers Bangalore and Mumbai Indians in Dubai, Mumbai Indians captain Rohit Sharma has won the toss and chose to bowl.

“Just feel that we have tried everything in the two games we have played. From here on, every game is important. Need to focus on the game at hand. Keep ticking the small boxes and see what we can do as a team here,” Sharma told Star Sports at the toss.

Much like Sharma, Royal Challengers Bangalore captain Virat Kohli also wanted to bowl first. Highlighting mistakes made by them as a reason behind their first two losses in the second leg of this season, Kohli hoped to replicate their performance from the first leg.

“Would have bowled first as well. Looks like a nice, hard wicket. There is some grass coverage. We have made mistakes ourselves, and not been outplayed. In a T20, you don’t have much time to make a comeback. You need to back yourself… We have done that in the first leg,” Kohli told Star Sports at the toss.

Is Hardik Pandya playing vs RCB?

Mumbai all-rounder Hardik Pandya, who had missed their first two matches in the UAE due to an injury, has made a comeback into their Playing XI after regaining fitness.

“[Hardik Pandya] is very passionate for the game and the comeback. He is playing tonight. Saurabh [Tiwary] misses out and we have Hardik back,” Sharma added.

While MI have made a solitary change to their Playing XI, Royal Challengers have made three of them bringing in all-rounders Daniel Christian, Kyle Jamieson and Shahbaz Ahmed for batter Tim David, all-rounder Wanidu Hasaranga and fast bowler Navdeep Saini.