Vijay Hazare Trophy 2019-20: Round 1, Elite Group A, Mumbai vs Saurashtra: Dream11 Fantasy Cricket Tips – Playing XI, Pitch Report & Injury Update

Match Details:

The Round 4 game of the Vijay Hazare trophy 2019 between Mumbai and Saurashtra will be hosted by KSCA Cricket Ground in Alur.

The match starts at 9:00 AM local time (IST) (3:30 AM GMT).

Preview:

Mumbai will face Saurashtra in a Group A match on Tuesday at the KSCA Ground in Alur. Defending champions, Mumbai were dealt a shocking blow by Chhattisgarh as they lost in their first completed match of this season. Saurashtra, though, has won one and lost one game with six points to their credit.

Both teams were scheduled to face off on the opening day. It was a no-show as persistent rains forced the match to be called off. Mumbai will field their strongest possible XI with the return of Shardul Thakur and Siddhesh Lad as they look to overcome their false start against Chattisgarh.

Saurashtra, on the other hand, will bank on their captain, Jaydev Unadkat to provide the goods against a formidable Mumbai side, which walks into this game as the clear favourites.

Weather Condition/Report:

There is a possible threat of rain for this game although a match should be completed. A cloud cover of 70% and a drizzle, according to AccuWeather, could delay the start of the match with better conditions expected as the game progresses.

Pitch Condition/Report:

Alur is generally a high-scoring ground with some help for the pacers and spinners. With overcast conditions on offer, the new ball bowlers will have a major role to play although the batsmen should have the final say with the average first score at the ground being over 250 in the previous season.

Average first innings score: 260 (Matches Completed in 2019)

Record of chasing team: Won – 0, Lost – 2

Injury and Availability News:

Shardul Thakur and Siddhesh Lad return to the Mumbai roster after the completion of the Board Presidents XI vs South Africa practice match.

Likewise, Dharmendrasinh Jadeja also returns to the fore for Saurashtra.

Probable Playing XIs:

Mumbai:

Jay Gokul Bista, Shreyas Iyer (C), Shubham Ranjane, Suryakumar Yadav, Aditya Tare (WK), Siddhesh Lad, Shivam Dube, Shardul Thakur, Shams Mulani, Dhawal Kulkarni, Tushar Deshpande.

Bench: Eknath Kerkar, Kruthik Hanagavadi, Shashank Attarde, Sarfaraz Khan, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Atharva Ankolekar.

Saurashtra:

Harvik Desai (WK), Sheldon Jackson, Aarpit Vasavada, Chirag Jani, Jay Chauhan, Kamlesh Makvana, Vishvaraj Jadeja, Dharmendrasinh Jadeja, Jaydev Unadkat (c), Prerak Mankad, Agnivesh Ayachi.

Bench: Rajdeep Darbar, Hardik Rathod, Kushang Patel, Samarth Vyas, Himalaya Barad

Top Picks:

Suryakumar Yadav is in fine form with a whirlwind 81 in his first outing this season. Shams Mulani was one of the standout bowlers of Vijay Hazare Trophy 2018-19 and has started off well with a three-wicket haul against Chhattisgarh.

Sheldon Jackson is the lynchpin of the Saurashtra batting unit with consistent performances over the years across all three formats. With Robin Uthappa moving to Kerala, the burden of the batting unit falls upon his reliable shoulders with the former KKR player averaging nearly 40 in List A cricket.

Captain and Vice-Captain Selection:

Captain – Sheldon Jackson, Shreyas Iyer and Shivam Dube

Vice-Captain – Dhawal Kulkarni, Suryakumar Yadav and Shams Mulani

Given the nature of the pitch, Shreyas Iyer is picked ahead of Shivam Dube owing to his superior batting prowess.

Suggested Playing XI for Head to Head/Small Leagues:

Keeper – Sheldon Jackson

Batsmen –Shreyas Iyer (C), Jay Bista, V Jadeja

All-Rounders – Shivam Dube (VC), Prerak Mankad, Chirag Jani

Bowlers – D Jadeja, Dhawal Kulkarni, Shardul Thakur, Jaydev Unadkat

Suggested Playing XI for Grand Leagues/Mega Leagues:

Keeper – Sheldon Jackson (VC), Aditya Tare

Batsmen – Jay Bista, Shreyas Iyer (C), Arpit Vasavada

All-Rounders –Chirag Jani, Shivam Dube

Bowlers – Dhawal Kulkarni, Shams Mulani, Jaydev Unadkat, D Jadeja

Expert Advice:

With this being a high scoring ground, top-order batsmen and finishers are crucial in the context of the fantasy contest with the likes of Shreyas Iyer, Shivam Dube and Sheldon Jackson bound to score some runs on this surface.

Similarly, the new ball bowlers will also get some swing upfront which Dhawal Kulkarni and Jaydev Unadkat can exploit.

Probable Winners:

Mumbai are the favourites for this game and should bounce back after a shock loss against Chhattisgarh, at the expense of Saurashtra.

*Disclaimer: This team is based on the understanding, analysis and instinct of the author. While selecting your team, consider the points mentioned and make your own decision.