Meet Mumbai Indians' rising star who once borrowed Rs 30 for auto fare, his name is...

Mumbai Indians (MI) registered their first win of the Indian Premier League (IPL) season 18 on Monday when they beat defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the iconic Wankhede Stadium. The star of the match was Ashwani Kumar, who surprised everyone with his debut match performance. He took a 4-wicket haul against KKR, also making him the first-ever Indian to take four wickets in his maiden IPL outing. The 23-year-old, who hails from a small village in the Mohali district in Punjab, was bought for his base price of Rs 30 lakh in the recently held IPL Auction 2025. So, let us know more about the MI's new pace sensation and his struggle over the years, which helped him taste the success that one always strives for.

Who is Ashwani Kumar?

Born on August 29, 2001, Ashwani is a left-arm medium-fast bowler who made his first-class debut in December 2019 for Punjab in the 2019-20 Ranji Trophy.  He made his T20I debut for Punjab in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy during the 2022 season. In the last IPL season, Ashwani was serving as a net bowler for Punjab Kings but never featured in the Playing XI.

Before being sold to MI at the base price, Ashwani had a few unsuccessful trials at Chennai Super Kings (CSK), Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), and Rajasthan Royals (RR).

In a recent interview, Ashwani's father, Harkesh Kumar, elaborated on his son's struggle and how he used to reach the cricket academy by borrowing money. ''Rain or hot sun, Ashwani would never hesitate to go to PCA at Mohali or later at the new stadium at Mullanpur. Sometimes, he would cycle to PCA academy or take lifts or would go in shared autos. I remember he would take Rs 30 from me for the fare, and when he was picked up for Rs 30 lakh by Mumbai Indians in the mega auction, I knew his worth was every penny. After each wicket today, I would think about those days when he would return at 10 PM after his training and again wake up the next day at 5 AM,'' Indian Express reported, quoting Ashwani's father.

 

 

 

 

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Ashwani Kumar vs KKR at Wankhede

Ashwani showcased his intention from the very first ball when he picked KKR skipper Ajinkya Rahane's wicket. Later, in his three-over spell during the match, Ashwani added the prized wickets of Rinku Singh, Manish Pandey, and Andre Russell. He ended with 4/24 in 3 overs, helping in bowling out KKR at 116 in the 17th over.

Mumbai Indians chased down the easy target in the 13th over, only losing two wickets to KKR. With this win, MI jumped to the 6th spot on the Points Table.