IPL 2025: Who is Ashwani Kumar? Everything you need to know about Mumbai Indians’ left-arm pacer

Ashwani Kumar (Source: INDRANIL MUKHERJEE/AFP via Getty Images)

Mumbai Indians (MI) handed the young Punjab left-arm pacer, Ashwani Kumar, his Indian Premier League (IPL) debut in the match against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at Wankhede Stadium. The 23-year-old had a dream start, picking his maiden IPL wicket on the very first ball of his career. The five-time champion secured his services for INR 30 lakh in the 2025 IPL mega-auction. Though he was part of the Punjab Kings squad last season, he did not feature in any matches.

His domestic career began in the 2022 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, where he represented Punjab. However, he has had limited opportunities, playing only four T20 matches and picking up three wickets at an economy rate of 8.50. Additionally, he has played two First-Class and four List A matches for Punjab.

Ashwani came into the limelight through his performances in the Sher-e-Punjab T20 tournament. Representing the BLV Blasters, he displayed his talent, with his best figures being 4/36, catching the attention of IPL scouts.

In his debut match against KKR, he made an impact in his first-ever IPL delivery as he dismissed KKR captain Ajinkya Rahane. The right-hand batter, looking to drive a full and wide delivery, sliced the ball toward deep backward point, where Tilak Varma took a juggling catch. Notably, he created a chance to dismiss Venkatesh Iyer in the same over, but the catch was dropped by Mitchell Santner.

Ashwani removes Rinku Singh, Manish Pandey in the same over

Earlier, he also made a brilliant catch to dismiss Quinton de Kock off Deepak Chahar’s bowling. De Kock attempted to clear mid-off, but Ashwani jumped and grabbed the ball with both hands. When he was brought back for his second over, the pcer got rid of Rinku Singh and Manish Pandey in the same over to push KKR further on the backfoot. He returned to clean up Andre Russell in his third over as the KKR all-rounder failed to connect a length ball, which rattled his stumps.

Also Read: IPL 2025: Funniest Memes from MI vs KKR Mid-Innings of Match 12

Ashwani is the latest addition to Mumbai’s tradition of backing young domestic players. This season, they have also given opportunities to Kerala’s Vignesh Puthur and Andhra’s Satyanarayana Raju.

Disclaimer: This latest news is based on the author’s understanding, analysis, and instinct. As you review this information, consider the points mentioned and form your own conclusions.

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