Mumbai Indians may have uncovered a genuine option with the ball, and Ashwani Kumar is starting to show why. The young left-arm pacer made a strong impact against Gujarat Titans, finishing with four wickets and playing a big role in a win that never really looked in doubt once MI got going.
It was a straightforward night for Mumbai. They put up 199, with Tilak Varma anchoring the innings with a century, and that total always looked out of reach. When Gujarat Titans began the chase, things slipped quickly. Wickets kept falling, there was no real partnership, and they eventually folded for just 100, giving MI a comfortable 99-run win.
Ashwani Kumar was right at the center of that collapse. His figures of 4/24 tell part of the story, but the bigger impact came from when those wickets arrived. Each breakthrough made it harder for Gujarat to recover, and the pressure never eased. As a result they suffered a heavy defeat.
Ashwani Kumar’s spell made the difference
He didn’t try anything too fancy. The lengths were consistent, the lines were tight, and he kept forcing batters to take risks. That approach worked, especially with support from experienced bowlers like Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya, who made sure there was no breathing space at the other end.
What makes this performance stand out even more is where Ashwani comes from as a cricketer. He worked his way through domestic cricket in Punjab, building a reputation as a bowler who relies more on control and discipline than sheer pace. Earlier in his IPL journey, he had already grabbed attention with a four-wicket haul on debut, which showed he could handle the stage.
This kind of outing only adds to that impression. For Mumbai Indians, it’s a positive sign. Finding someone who can step in and deliver like this alongside established names gives the attack more balance.
It’s still early days, but performances like this don’t get ignored. If Ashwani Kumar keeps putting in spells like this, he won’t just be seen as a promising youngster for long. He’ll start being viewed as someone MI can depend on when it matters. That said, it will be interesting to see how his future plays out as he starts to get more games under his belt.