‘Hats off to them for…’ - Former India batter lauds Mumbai Indians after Ashwani Kumar’s terrific IPL debut

Ashwani Kumar made a tremendous Indian Premier League (IPL) debut for Mumbai Indians (MI) on Monday. The left-arm seamer picked four wickets for 24 runs from his three overs against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). The defending IPL champions were all out for just 116 runs as MI raced to the target in 12.5 overs with eight wickets in hand. Former India batter Aakash Chopra lauded MI for their amazing scouting network to unearth a new talent. 

Aakash Chopra, during his chat on Star Sports, said, “If I were part of an IPL franchise, I would sit behind the table of Mumbai Indians to see their target list during the auction. I would only bid for players who are on the Mumbai Indians’ target. There is no point in doing a lot of hard work”

The 47-year-old went on to add, “The best way forward is to follow Mumbai Indians and bid for the cricketers they are interested in. Hats off to them for spotting talent. Other franchises have their scouting teams, but Mumbai are ahead of them,”. Kumar was picked by MI for INR 30 Lakhs after being spotted during a local tournament in Punjab. 

Young pacer promises to win more games for MI 

Ashwani Kumar, the 23-year-old left-arm seamer, was beaming with delight after his match-winning spell for Mumbai. Speaking at the end of the game, Kumar said, “It is a big thing for me to play for Mumbai Indians. It is always nice to win a Player of the Match award in your first game. I didn’t think about giving this kind of performance. It was great to get an opportunity in the IPL,”

The 23-year-old also said, “I tried to give my best. I was confident but a bit nervous when I was informed that I would play the game. I will make my village proud by winning more matches for Mumbai Indians." Kumar was given the player of the match for his amazing bowling that helped MI get their first win of the season. 

Meanwhile, Aakash Chopra, during his chat on Star Sports, has sounded a huge warning to the rivals and said, “Near-perfect game for Mumbai Indians. It is a message to the rivals. The bowlers and batters were spot on, and Mumbai Indians finally managed to win a game. They played like a fast local train and completed the proceedings way before the allotted time. Mumbai needed this win after a difficult start to the season.”