(Reuters) -Mumbai Indians captain Hardik Pandya heaped praise on his team's scouting department for unearthing another gem in Ashwani Kumar, after the pace bowler produced the best figures by an Indian on his Indian Premier League debut.

Ashwani Kumar, a 23-year-old from Punjab, was named in the starting lineup by Mumbai Indians during the side’s Indian Premier League 2025 match against Kolkata Knight Riders at the Wankhede Stadium on Monday. Off his first ball of IPL career, Ashwani removed KKR captain Ajinkya Rahane.

Over the years, MI have unearthed top talent in the IPL through its extensive scouting network. Hardik, Bumrah, Kishan, Wadhera, Puthur and most recently Ashwani joined the list of difference makers for the legacy franchise.