IPL Pulse: Runs everywhere, Green nowhere

Good morning!

If Monday's already plotting against you and that meeting feels like a slow demise, take a moment, breathe and escape into this edition of Pulse, your 2-minute scan of the far more urgent IPL universe.

Last night in five lines

1. MI vs KKR headed MI's way for the 25th time in 36 matches, as tradition would have it.

2. MI finally won a season opener, ending a 13-match streak dating back to 2012.

3. Rahane and Raghuvanshi's fifties took KKR to 220/4 but Rohit-Rickelton replied with 148/0 in under 12 overs, 14 sixes between them, two more than KKR's tally.

4. Kartik Tyagi impressed, but went the distance; Vaibhav, Muzarabani, Varun and Narine just went the distance as KKR never looked like defending the total.

5. Shardul Thakur, finally in MI colours, showed how it's done at Wankhede: slower change-up balls, hard lengths, picking first three wickets to fall.

Oh, that happened

KKR used six bowlers. None were Cam Green.

"Ask Cricket Australia," Rahane said, smiling. Cricket Australia later revealed Green is managing a "lower back issue" and is likely to be ready to bowl in "10-12 days."

Pulse awards

The accidental-foresight award goes to Cam Green's manager for "stuffing up" his listing in the specialist batter category ahead of the auction.

The mere-mortals award goes to Virat and Rohit for dropping a catch each in otherwise blockbuster nights ft. individual runs and team wins.

The very-timely-diagnosis award goes to Cricket Australia for finding just enough niggles to allow some rest for their quicks ahead of a hectic international season.

The less-is-more award goes to Mukesh Ambani for skipping the MI merchandise and keeping it basic with a blue-coloured round-neck (but full sleeved?!) tee.

Talking point

Anukul Roy's fielding. A sharp sliding catch after running backward dismissed Rohit and broke the mammoth opening stand, followed by a direct hit to run Rickelton out.

The chatter

Shardul Thakur was over the moon that playing for MI has "finally happened" after years of "quietly bowling" here as a young net bowler. He doesn't even mind the Lord memes because "it's a name given by people" and it "shows love." The kind of love Hardik Pandya is showing, wanting him around "for the rest of your career." Doesn't always go as planned, as Hardik would know.

Stat Snack

Rohit, 38 years old, smashed a fifty off 23 balls, his quickest in IPL. That "you look like a young boy" comment from Nita Ambani was after all on point.

What's the latest gossip?

The whispers were about SKY and Hardik. Why else would a World Cup-winning captain and elite fielder turn up as an Impact Player? Mahela Jayawardene shut it down, citing a "tight groin" and urging everyone not to "create unwanted stories." As if the little birdies need permission!

Tonight's watchlist

RR vs a side that will play without Dhoni or Raina for the first time ever. Feels illegal. BTW, Jadeja will feature, just not for CSK. Samson will feature, just not for RR.

Reckless prediction for tonight's match

Samson and Jadeja share the Player of the Match award and swap jerseys, just to make it all very, very awkward.