Mumbai Indians (MI) owner Nita Ambani lauded the franchise’s scouting team for discovering exceptional young talents, including Ashwani Kumar, Vignesh Puthur, and Robin Minz, after MI’s dominant eight-wicket victory over defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the Wankhede Stadium.
Ashwani Kumar’s Dream Debut Inspires MI Victory
MI’s victory was set up by debutant pacer Ashwani Kumar, who produced a record-breaking spell of 4/24, becoming the first Indian bowler to take a four-wicket haul on IPL debut.
Alongside Ashwani, Deepak Chahar (2/19) ensured KKR crumbled for just 116 in 16.2 overs, with only Angkrish Raghuvanshi (26) and Ramandeep Singh (22) managing to cross 20 runs.
Chasing the modest target, Ryan Rickelton (62 off 41, 4 fours, 5 sixes)* and Suryakumar Yadav (27 off 9, 3 fours, 2 sixes)* finished the job in just 12.5 overs, with 43 balls to spare.
Nita Ambani Acknowledges MI’s Scouting Success
Speaking after the game, Nita Ambani praised MI’s scouting system for consistently identifying and nurturing raw talent:
“This is what Mumbai Indians is known for. Today, I also want to take this opportunity to thank the scouts of the Mumbai Indians. They have worked very hard.”
She specifically credited:
✅ Rahul Sanghvi (Director of Cricket)
✅ Dhananjai CKM (Chief Data Performance Manager)
✅ The entire MI scouting team
“We have youngsters like Ashwani (Kumar), Vignesh (Puthur), Robin (Minz), and so many others. I think we need to thank them also. So let’s give a big round of applause to all our scouts.”
MI’s Emerging Young Stars in IPL 2024
💥 Ashwani Kumar (4/24 on debut)
💥 Vignesh Puthur (3/32 in debut match, 4 wickets in 2 games, avg: 13.25, eco: 8.83)
💥 Robin Minz (yet to make an impact with bat)
What’s Next for MI?
After securing their first win of IPL 2024, MI will face Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) on April 4 in Lucknow. Currently, MI stands with one win and two losses in the tournament.
With young guns firing and senior stars stepping up, can MI turn their season around? 🔥💙