The Indian Premier League (IPL) is known to unearth new talents year after year. As the league entered its 18th year with IPL 2025, young spinner Vignesh Puthur has made an early impact on the T20 tournament.
During last year’s IPL mega auction, Mumbai Indians (MI) bought the uncapped left-arm wrist spinner Vignesh for Rs 30 lakh. Vignesh was born on March 2, 2001, and is a native of Perinthalmanna in Malappuram district of Kerala.
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After he was picked at the auction, MI took him to South Africa, and was with the MI Cape Town team but not officially part of the squad during the SA T20 league.
Vignesh’s key wickets against CSK
The 24-year-old Vignesh is yet to play for Kerala’s senior side, but the MI team management backed him on Sunday (March 23) and handed him an IPL debut in the big clash against Chennai Super Kings (CSK). Vignesh has played in the Kerala Cricket League (KCL), Kerala College Premier T20 League, and also in the Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL). He has represented Kerala at Under-14 and Under-19 levels.
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Vignesh was brought in as an Impact Player, replacing Rohit Sharma, who was substituted. Rohit had a forgettable game as he was dismissed for a four-ball duck after MI were sent into bat by CSK captain Ruturaj Gaikwad.
With CSK spinners dominating the first half of the game at the M A Chidambaram Stadium and restricting MI to 155/9, Vignesh too joined in the party in his very first IPL game.
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Vignesh was brought on to bowl by MI’s stand-in skipper Suryakumar Yadav in the eighth over of the CSK’s run chase of 156. He found success in his very first over, dismissing the well-set captain Gaikwad for 53 off 26. He was caught by Will Jacks at long-off.
Vignesh celebrates a wicket with Suryakumar. PTI
In the next over, Vignesh struck again, sending back big-hitting all-rounder Shivam Dube caught by Tilak Varma at long-on for nine runs. Vignesh again got a wicket, in his third over, dismissing Deepak Hooda (3), caught by fellow debutant Satyanarayana Raju at deep square-leg. He completed his quota of four overs and ended up with figures of 3/32 with nine dot balls. It was a memorable IPL debut for the youngster and was the team’s highest wicket-taker in the game.
Suryakumar praises Vignesh
After the match, that CSK won by four wickets, Suryakumar was asked about Vignesh. He predicted a bright future for the youngster.
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“Amazing (debut from Vignesh Puthur). MI is known for that, scouring youngsters 10 months a year and they’ve done that, he has a bright future ahead,” Suryakumar said.
“I kept his one over in the pocket if the game went deep, but it was a no-brainer to give him the 18th over,” he added.
What MI said about Vignesh
On their website, MI wrote about Vignesh last year, “Kerala’s 23-year-old sensation is the latest in Mumbai Indians’ long list of unearthing the unknown! Well, he isn’t staying unknown for long.”
“As for the local tournaments, he featured for the Alleppey Ripples in the first season of the Kerala Premier League, putting in some seriously exciting performances. Paltan, it’s time to rally behind our left-arm spinner, who is not going to leave any stone unturned in becoming a household name by the end of IPL 2025!” they added.