Mumbai Indians' pacer Ashwani Kumar made an electrifying Indian Premier League debut against Kolkata Knight Riders at Wankhede Stadium. The young bowler became only the sixth player in IPL history to claim four or more wickets on debut. He announced his arrival by dismissing Ajinkya Rahane with his very first ball. His impact didn¡¯t stop there¡ªRinku Singh and Manish Pandey followed in his second over, and in his third, he stunned Andre Russell.
With this feat, Ashwani became the first Indian bowler to take a four-wicket haul on debut. Fans quickly drew comparisons with Alzarri Joseph¡¯s six-for-12 in 2019, the best-ever IPL debut performance.
Ashwani Kumar¡¯s sensational performance on his IPL debut has sent social media into a frenzy. Fans from all corners couldn¡¯t contain their excitement, with one user exclaiming, "HISTORY CREATED BY ASHWANI!" highlighting the significance of his four-wicket haul. Others took a more humorous route, as one user quipped, "Arjun Tendulkar: Yeh kal ka aaya hua Ashwani Kumar bhi wicket le raha hai."
Many fans were impressed by his ability with the new ball and in the death overs. "Well, we just have seen Ashwani Kumar with the new ball. He's more effective at the death. Has a brilliant yorker and a slower ball," said one reaction, praising his all-around skills.
The energy around Ashwani¡¯s debut was palpable, with another user wondering aloud, "Ashwani, buddy! Where were you in the last two matches?" But it was clear that the wait was worth it.?
His performance was compared to a fairytale, with fans describing it as "Debut straight out of a storybook."
Ashwani¡¯s debut not only thrilled his fans but also reassured some of the team¡¯s followers, with one user jokingly stating, "Siraj, don¡¯t worry now!" The overwhelming response from the online community cemented his place as a player to watch in IPL 2025.
After his dream debut, expectations are already sky-high. ¡°I just had a banana because there was pressure, so was not feeling very hungry. I had planned a little but they told me to enjoy myself on debut and bowl what I have been bowling.¡± he told media after his performance on field.
With such a strong performance, Mumbai Indians may have found a new match-winner. As one user aptly put it: "What a ball, what a bowler, Ashwani Kumar!"
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