Mumbai Indians handed a debut to left-arm seamer Ashwani Kumar in their third match of IPL 2025 against Kolkata Knight Riders on Monday (March 31).
Ashwani was signed by MI for INR 30 lakh at the IPL 2025 mega auction. Hailing from Punjab, the left-arm seamer has carved a niche for himself with his ability to generate extra bounce, complemented by an effective wide yorker in his repertoire. He was also part of the Punjab Kings' unit as a net bowler last season.
He debuted for Punjab in the 2022 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, taking three wickets in four appearances at an economy of 8.50. He has also played four List-A matches. His current numbers – averaging 57 (first-class), 52.66 (List A), and 51 (T20s) – are not necessarily impressive, but the sample size is small and there's loads of potential and time to improve.
Match 12, Mumbai Indians vs Kolkata Knight Riders
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His ability to close out multiple games with his death bowling in the Sher-E-Punjab T20 Trophy put him on the radar. Playing for BLV Blasters against Agri Kings Knights, Ashwani held his nerve to defend just eight runs in the final over, conceding only two singles and two byes while also taking a crucial wicket to seal victory for his side. Notably, the same match saw Ramandeep Singh smash six sixes in a single over.
In the following match, he showcased his composure once again. Despite conceding 33 runs in his first two overs, he was handed the final over with 11 runs to defend. Delivering pin-point death bowling, he secured a thrilling one-run victory for his team. While his figures of 3/42 might not leap off the page, such clutch performances were pivotal in BLV Blasters’ title-winning campaign.
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Ashwani is not the first domestic player to debut for the Mumbai Indians this season. Earlier, the five-time champions also handed a debut to Kerala’s left-arm wrist-spinner Vignesh Puthur, who impressed with three wickets against Chennai Super Kings – including opposition captain Ruturaj Gaikwad and Shivam Dube.
Ashwani made a dream start to his IPL career, picking opposition captain Ajinkya Rahane first ball.
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