Who Is Ashwani Kumar? Mumbai Indians Pacer, First Indian Bowler To Take Four-Wicket On IPL Debut

Mumbai Indians pacer, Ashwani Kumar is leading all the headlines as the cricketer dismissed Kolkata Knight Riders captain, Ajinkya Rahane on his first ball. Ashwani made his IPL debut on March 30, 2025, and it became a memorable day for the 23-year-old cricketer. Ever since his debut match, the star cricketer has been getting all the limelight.

Ashwani Kumar hails from Jhanjeri, a village in the Mohali district of Punjab. Although the cricketer had a humble family who could not afford to pay for his cricketing career, his parents wholeheartedly supported his dreams. His family nurtured his dreams, and he found his way to play the game around Punjab. Let us read on to know more about the young cricketer.

Ashwani Kumar made his first-class debut at the age of 18

Ashwani Kumar made his first-class debut in 2019 for Punjab at the mere age of 18.  He has also played two First-Class and four List-A games for Punjab. The left-arm pacer grabbed attention in the Sher-e-Punjab T20 tournament in 2024. He made his debut for the senior Punjab side in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy in 2022.

Mumbai Indians bought Ashwani Kumar for Rs. 30 lakhs

Ashwani was picked as a backup for the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy in the 2024-25 season, but the mega IPL auction began soon after. Before the auction, Ashwani appeared for trials at both CSK and Mumbai Indians (MI), but Mumbai Indians scouts were impressed by Ashwani’s ability to rush batters and his ability to swing the new ball. MI scouts picked Ashwani, who had just played five domestic games at that time, for Rs. 30 lakhs.

Ashwani Kumar became the first Indian bowler to take four wickets on his IPL debut

Ashwani Kumar's IPL debut became a memorable event for him as he became the first Indian bowler to take four wickets on his IPL debut. He first dismissed KKR captain, Ajinkya Rahane and later caught Rinku Singh, Manish Pandey and Andre Russell. The Wankhede Stadium stood in disbelief as the youngster took a four-wicket haul on his IPL debut.

It was a nervous day for Ashwani, who later told Harsha Bhogle that he ate only a banana at lunch as he was nervous about his debut match against KKR. Though Mumbai Indians made a game plan for the team, since it was Ashwani’s debut match, MI captain, Hardik Pandya asked him to take it easy. Speaking about the same, Ashwani told the broadcaster:

“We had plans. But Hardik Pandya, the MI captain, said that since it's your debut match, enjoy yourself. Just keep bowling the way you have been.”

Ashwani Kumar takes home the ‘Man of the Match’ award at his IPL debut

Ashwani Kumar certainly impressed everyone on his IPL debut, but the youngster could hardly believe that he would be awarded the ‘Man of the Match’ award during his debut match. Sharing his excitement about his splendid performance, Ashwani said:

“This is a very big thing for me that I got an opportunity like this. I didn't think I would be the Man of the Match in my first match. I just wanted to follow my process and do my bit, that's it, but it turned out very well. I was completely confident [about performing in front of a big crowd] but still I was a little nervous before the match. It was just a little bit of 'what will happen'."

What do you think about Ashwani Kumar’s performance, which made Mumbai Indians win the game? Let us know.

Also Read: Nita Ambani As A Scouter: Took Pandya Brothers From Maggi To MI In IPL, Founded Jasprit Bumrah, More

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