Ashwani Kumar is lot faster than folks recognise at first, says Ryan Rickelton

MI bowler Ashwani Kumar celebrates the wicket of KKR batter Rinku Singh in the course of the IPL 2025 cricket match between Mumbai Indians and Kolkata Knight Riders, in Mumbai, Monday, March 31, 2025.
| Picture Credit score: PTI

Mumbai Indians’ unheralded quick bowler Ashwani Kumar, who grew to become the primary Indian to take 4 wickets on IPL debut, is a “lot faster than folks recognise at first”, says his teammate Ryan Rickelton.

The left-arm Punjab seamer took 4/24 on Monday (March 31, 2025) to blow away Kolkata Knight Riders as Mumbai Indians recorded an eight-wicket win which took them to the sixth spot within the factors desk.

“He is loads faster than I believe folks recognise at first, that is a terrific attribute he has and he can swing the brand new ball,” Rickelton instructed the media after the match right here on the Wankhede Stadium.

“He is loads faster than you suppose and he rushes you a bit of bit decrease as properly. He is a terrific addition clearly to the group and the wicket can go well with him.” “Wanting ahead to seeing if he will get a chance with the brand new ball to see that different set of abilities come by. He is a pleasant discover for MI and actually trying ahead to seeing how he goes,” he added.

Rickelton mentioned the Punjab seamer, who had solely performed 4 senior T20 matches, 4 Listing A matches and two Ranji Trophy video games earlier than his IPL debut, executed his plans rather well.

“I’ve performed a couple of warm-up video games with him, retaining (the wickets) to him and batting towards him within the nets. He is a very nice bowler. He can swing the brand new ball and he executed his plan actually, rather well,” he mentioned.

“The group’s actually blissful for him. However yeah, it is cool that he bought a chance. The group’s actually happy that he managed to get out of the match efficiency,” he added.

KKR’s Ramandeep Singh, who can be from Punjab and trains in the identical academy as Ashwani, termed him as a “gifted cricketer”.

“Ashwani is a really gifted cricketer, he’s from Punjab. This IPL is thought for the truth that children come and carry out right here and you may see their expertise,” he mentioned.

Rickelton, in the meantime, mentioned getting his maiden half-century was a large reduction. The left-handed South African wicketkeeper-batter hit 62 not out off 41 balls with 5 sixes and 4 fours.

“Clearly a large reduction, in all honesty. The primary two video games had been on difficult (and) on some robust wickets. However to get out right here in Mumbai and have Spencer (Johnson) flip me inside out was fairly a tricky battle to get by,” he mentioned.

“However as soon as I managed to get by that, it is simply actually pleasing to get a rating. However extra reduction than something and to get two factors on the board is nice for the workforce.” Rickelton mentioned having joined the MI camp earlier than — he performed for MI Cape City within the SA20 competitors — gave him a very good expertise.

“It has been a pleasant intro. It isn’t simply coming in blind. It has been a neater transition, however the IPL is a special beast in its personal. To mentally work my head round that may be a little bit of a special one for me and I am attempting to simply adapt to the group and fortunately I’ve bought a couple of acquainted faces round as properly. It makes the transition a bit simpler,” he mentioned.

Speaking additional concerning the stress in IPL, the South African participant mentioned it’s solely totally different.

“Naturally, there’s simply much more stress. The usual is extremely excessive and the situations are all altering,” he mentioned.

“A yr in the past, activate the tv and groups are getting 260 and also you suppose it is a free for all. However you come right here and it is truly not that simple; totally different grounds have their distinctive traits, so the stress issue internally is large, however externally is large.” “You are taking part in with among the world’s greatest gamers, not simply on this workforce, however clearly across the nation. That further stress is there and it is onerous, I am not going to lie, it is onerous.

“Simply looking for my method by that and attempt to alter my recreation with the intention to give me the perfect probability of being profitable for the workforce,” he added.