In seven outings, Shami has managed to claim just five wickets, while conceding runs at an economy rate exceeding 10. This concerning dip in form has led to his exclusion, with Jaydev Unadkat stepping in as his replacement

Although Shami remains on the Impact Players list, the likelihood of his inclusion later in the game appears slim. With SRH already fielding four seamers, the balance of the bowling unit makes it improbable for him to feature in the second innings. Unadkat, a seasoned campaigner in his own right, has previously delivered notable performances for SRH and will be eager to capitalize on this opportunity

Looking at SRH’s campaign overall, their ultra-aggressive strategy with the bat has backfired more often than not this season

With the pitch in Hyderabad expected to be conducive to stroke-play, the onus will be on their openers to set a brisk tone against a resurgent Mumbai Indians side

Mumbai, riding high on three consecutive wins, have made a tactical change as well, introducing spinner Vignesh Puthur in place of Ashwani Kumar. Their recent performances reflect growing confidence, and they will look to maintain momentum in this reverse fixture. In their previous meeting at the Wankhede Stadium, the five-time champions comprehensively outplayed SRH, exposing several chinks in their opponent’s armour