IPL 2025: Pandya Applauds Scouts for Discovering Talents like Ashwani

Mumbai, March 31 (NationPress) Mumbai Indians captain Hardik Pandya expressed great satisfaction with his team's achievement of securing their first points in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 following two initial losses, culminating in an impressive eight-wicket victory over the reigning champions, Kolkata Knight Riders, at the Wankhede Stadium on Monday.

"Very satisfying. Winning, particularly at home, and the way we performed collectively - with every member contributing - makes me extremely happy," stated Pandya during the post-match presentation.

Pandya elaborated on the decision to include a relatively unknown and inexperienced bowler for their initial home match of the season, attributing the success to the franchise's talent scouts who identified promising players such as Ashwani Kumar and Vignesh Puthur.

Ashwani recorded remarkable figures of 4-24 on his IPL debut, setting the record for the best debut performance by an Indian bowler in the league. The 23-year-old dismantled the KKR middle order by claiming the wickets of Ajinkya Rahane, Rinku Singh, Manish Pandey, and Andre Russell. Alongside Deepak Chahar, the Mumbai Indians bowled out KKR for just 116 runs in 16.2 overs, then quickly chased down the target, with Ryan Rickelton scoring an unbeaten 62.

"Selecting one player among many is always a challenge. Our lineup is solid with the players we’re supporting and the talent we possess. We believed Ashwani could perform well (on this pitch), and we trusted our scouts who went out to discover these young talents," Pandya remarked.

He noted that they recognized Ashwani's potential after his impressive performance in a practice match.

"During a practice game, he showcased his pace, late swing, and a unique action as a left-arm bowler. We backed him, and the way he took Russell's wicket was crucial. His catch of de Kock was also impressive (a fast bowler leaping to grab it)," added the Mumbai Indians leader, who faced scrutiny after a poor season start.

Pandya mentioned that the players collaborated well. After choosing to bowl first, he expertly rotated his bowlers through short spells, preventing KKR's batters from settling in. His bowlers responded effectively, with Trent Boult and Deepak Chahar initiating the collapse, followed by Vignesh Puthur and Mitchell Santner completing the task.

"When things go my way, it appears positive. Our team consists of a blend of youthful and experienced players, so I don't have too many worries. It's an early start, but a promising sign for everyone to contribute and kick off the tournament well," he concluded.

Kolkata Knight Riders captain Ajinkya Rahane acknowledged his team's collective batting shortcomings. He believed a total of 180-190 runs would have been competitive on this wicket. Rahane mentioned that his batters attempted to counter the bounce but failed to execute their strategy effectively.

"It was a collective batting failure. The pitch was conducive for scoring, and 180-190 would have been a solid target. We expected that here, given the good bounce. When facing bounce, you need to adapt quickly - we must learn from this," he stated.

Rahane pointed out that losing four wickets in the power-play severely impacted their innings.

"Our bowlers gave their best, but with a low total, it was tough. We kept losing wickets - four in the power play - making it hard to recover. One batter needs to bat through and remain till the end, but that didn't happen," he summarized.

The Mumbai Indians will next head to Lucknow to face the Lucknow Super Giants on April 4, while KKR will return home to play against the Sunrisers Hyderabad on April 3.