Media365
CHENNAI: When rookie left-arm pacer Ashwani Kumar, with only a handful of domestic matches behind him, was set to make his Mumbai Indians debut against Kolkata Knight Riders, Rohit Sharma offered him a simple piece of advice: “Be chill. This moment won’t come again, so just enjoy it.”The 23-year-old from Punjab did just that. He struck with his very first ball, dismissing KKR captain Ajinkya Rahane, and went on to finish with impressive figures of 4-24. His superlative show on debut handed Mumbai their first win of the season.Ashwani, who is representing Punjab in the Buchi Babu meet in Chennai, may not possess express pace, but his ability to swing the new ball makes him a handful. That skill earned him the nickname “Swingie” from seasoned left-arm pacer Trent Boult, who is known for swinging the ball both ways.“I spoke a lot about swing with him. When he first saw me bowl, I was swinging the ball really well, so he started calling me ‘Swingie’. Then I asked him for tips on how to swing the ball, and we specifically worked on wrist action,” Ashwani said.But it was one piece of advice from India star pacer Jasprit Bumrah that stuck with him the most. “From Bumrah, I learnt a lot….how to read the wicket, what to think during pressure situations, and how to stay calm. One thing that stayed with me was when he said: ‘There’s a whole life ahead of you. There will be days when you win matches for the team, and days when you won’t make a mark. You need to stay balanced, not get under pressure, and not overthink.’ It was really helpful,” Ashwani recalled.After a good IPL outing, Ashwani has returned to the domestic circuit and is aiming to regain his red-ball form, having missed the last few seasons due to a shoulder injury.“I want to help my team win the Ranji Trophy and improve in red-ball cricket…that’s my goal. I also want my red-ball graph to rise. My ultimate dream is to wear the India jersey, play for the country, and most importantly, contribute to India’s wins,” he said.
