Ashwani Kumar became the third concussion substitute in the Indian Premier League (IPL) history on Tuesday, entering the Mumbai Indians match against Gujarat Titans. Ashwani replaced all-rounder Corbin Bosch, who sustained an injury while batting in the first innings.
Bosch was struck on the helmet by a bouncer from Gujarat Titans quick Prasidh Krishna during the final over of Mumbai Indians' innings. Bosch continued batting briefly after receiving attention from the team physio.
Before the incident, Bosch contributed 27 runs off 22 deliveries, helping Mumbai Indians reach a score of 155/8. He was run out on the delivery immediately following the blow to his helmet.
Ashwani Kumar, a left-arm pacer, was introduced into the game during the 10th over of the second innings. He marked the first concussion substitution utilized in the IPL 2025 season.Ashwani made an immediate impact in his second over by taking the wicket of opener Jos Buttler, who had scored 30 runs from 27 balls.
His appearance places him in a small group of players who have entered IPL games as concussion replacements. The two previous instances involved Vishnu Vinod substituting Ishan Kishan for Mumbai Indians in 2023 and Yudhvir Singh coming on for Lucknow Super Giants in 2024.Earlier in the season, Ashwani Kumar made his debut for Mumbai Indians and recorded figures of 4/24. He played two subsequent games before being dropped from the playing XI.
