MI’s wholesale reshuffle exposes their injury crisis far more than DC’s stubborn faith in their XI. Hardik’s continued absence is the real story—a captain sidelined mid-tournament damages team balance catastrophically. Santner’s inclusion signals desperation in the middle order, not tactical innovation. DC’s unchanged setup smells overconfident given their recent form. MI are gambling on fresh legs; DC are betting incumbents won’t collapse. One team looks proactive, the other complacent.