Over the past couple of weeks, the results of matches in IPL 2026 have impacted the points table and the morale and chances of the teams with regard to playoffs qualification significantly.
The franchises that were considered to have dropped out of the playoffs race and those that were seemingly set for a top four qualification have had contrasting results.
Teams like Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), Mumbai Indians (MI), and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) have recorded victories, while Punjab Kings (PBKS) and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) have slipped down from the top two due to multiple defeats. The Gujarat Titans (GT) and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) have conjured a string of victories and now are placed in the upper echelon of the table.
Tonight, RCB will host MI at their second home in Raipur, where the IPL returns to the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium after a decade. The last time Raipur hosted an IPL game was in 2016.
Meanwhile, this venue hosted two T20Is since 2023, both of which produced high-scoring encounters. Chasing has been the trend here in white-ball cricket, with dew rendering excellent batting conditions later in the match.
Defending champions RCB are in the third spot right now, with 12 points in 10 outings, and still have the best net run rate of all 10 teams. However, the gap between them and the likes of CSK and KKR have reduced after RCB lost their last two fixtures while those two teams registered wins.
One of the premier reasons for RCB’s underperformance in recent games has been the absence of Phil Salt. The destructive England opener has missed four matches in a row due to a finger injury.
Salt’s compatriot Jacob Bethell has opened with Virat Kohli but has not been able to come anywhere near the impact Salt had made earlier in the season. Bethell, in fact, has been dismissed for single-digit scores in the last two matches.
So the major worry remains for RCB and its fans: whether Salt will play today in the RCB vs MI clash.
RCB vs MI: Will Phil Salt play today against MI?
Salt is dealing with a finger injury, for which he went back to England to have scans. It’s not certain whether he has returned or not yet. Salt was not seen in training on Saturday and hence is not expected to play today against MI in Raipur.
RCB are unlikely to make any changes to their side.
Meanwhile, there are worries in the MI camp as well. Captain Hardik Pandya missed MI’s previous match against LSG reportedly due to a back spasm. A call on his availability will be made on the match day. Given MI are almost out of playoffs contention, Hardik might not be rushed back.
Further, MI can even rest Jasprit Bumrah, who has been having an off-season with the ball.
Suryakumar Yadav led MI against LSG and then flew back home for the birth of his child. He has reached Raipur and will play tonight and probably lead the side as well if Hardik is not completely fit.
Mumbai is unlikely to tinker with the team that helped them win only their third match this season in 10 attempts.
Today’s Predicted 11 Of RCB vs MI in IPL 2026 + Impact Player
RCB Predicted XI:
Rajat Patidar (C), Devdutt Padikkal, Jacob Bethell, Virat Kohli, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Josh Hazlewood, Tim David, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Suyash Sharma, Romario Shepherd, Rasikh Salam Dar (Impact Player)
MI Predicted XI:
Rohit Sharma, Ryan Rickelton (wk), Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Naman Dhir, Will Jacks, Corbin Bosch, Deepak Chahar, Jasprit Bumrah/Shardul Thakur, Raj Bawa, AM Ghazanfar, Raghu Sharma (Impact Player)
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