Selection concerns for Mumbai Indians as Sunrisers Hyderabad look to maintain winning run

Like so often in the recent past, Sunrisers Hyderabad have started the IPL 2019 season as tournament favourites must; they did lose their first match, away against Kolkata Knight Riders, but have won their next three games - two of them at home - comprehensively.

But unlike in previous years, this time it's their batting - specifically the opening pair of David Warner and Jonny Bairstow - that has been the main reason for their success. The two have so far added 118, 110, 185 and 64 for the first wicket, which has firstly not left much for the middle-order batsmen to do and, at the same time, made up for the middle order's failures. Key fact: Sunrisers are yet to lose a wicket in the Powerplay this season.

Their bowling did seem a bit lacklustre in the first two games, but Mohammad Nabi's inclusion has given it a lift. Bhuvneshwar Kumar, too, ended a poor, wicketless run with 2 for 27 against Delhi Capitals in the last game.

Come Saturday, Sunrisers will be facing an upbeat Mumbai Indians, who ended Chennai Super Kings' winning streak with a 37-run win. While two wins and two losses in the first four matches of the season would be an average start for a team, for Mumbai, the perennial slow starters, it might be like a kick-start.

However, with Lasith Malinga having left to play the domestic Super Four Provincial Limited Over Tournament in Sri Lanka, Mumbai will be forced to make changes to their winning combination.

Kane Williamson has missed three out of the four matches so far because of a niggle. In his absence, Nabi has picked up 4 for 11 against Royal Challengers Bangalore and 2 for 21 against Capitals. Not to forget his unbeaten nine-ball 17, which took Sunrisers over the line against Capitals. Will Sunrisers leave Nabi out if Williamson is fit in time for Saturday's game?

Within 12 hours of taking 3 for 34 against Super Kings in Mumbai, Malinga was leading Galle, where he took 7 for 49 against Kandy in a domestic one-day tournament. With the seamer likely to stay in Sri Lanka till the tournament ends, Mumbai will have to look for an alternative.

The last time these two sides met, back in April 2018, Mumbai were bowled out for 87 in a chase of 119 as Siddarth Kaul picked up 3 for 23, while Rashid Khan and Basil Thampi chipped in with two wickets each.

Sunrisers Hyderabad: 1 David Warner, 2 Jonny Bairstow (wk), 3 Vijay Shankar, 4 Yusuf Pathan, 5 Manish Pandey, 6 Deepak Hooda, 7 Mohammad Nabi, 8 Rashid Khan, 9 Bhuvneshwar Kumar (capt), 10 Sandeep Sharma, 11 Siddarth Kaul

Mumbai Indians: 1 Rohit Sharma (capt), 2 Quinton de Kock (wk), 3 Suryakumar Yadav, 4 Yuvraj Singh/Ishan Kishan, 5 Kieron Pollard, 6 Hardik Pandya, 7 Krunal Pandya, 8 Jason Behrendorff, 9 Rahul Chahar, 10 Jasprit Bumrah, 11 Mitchell McClenaghan