IPL 2025: Vignesh Puthur, the son of an autorickshaw driver, forges his path with Mumbai Indians

Synopsis

Vignesh Puthur, a 24-year-old left-arm wrist spinner from Mallapuram, Kerala, made a remarkable IPL debut for Mumbai Indians. Coming in as an Impact Substitute for Rohit Sharma, Puthur showcased his talent by taking three wickets, highlighting his potential as a future star in cricket.

Key Takeaways

Vignesh Puthur made his IPL debut for Mumbai Indians.
He took 3 wickets in his first match, showcasing his talent.
Puthur transitioned from medium pace to spin during his development.
He was scouted during the Kerala Premier League.
Mumbai Indians are optimistic about his future success.

Chennai, March 24 (NationPress) In an exciting turn of events, the Mumbai Indians showcased a modest total of 156 and introduced Vignesh Puthur, a 24-year-old left-arm wrist spinner, as an Impact Substitute. This marked the debut for the emerging talent from Mallapuram, Kerala. Stepping in for Indian captain Rohit Sharma, Puthur made his IPL debut even before representing his state at the senior level, as the five-time champions elevated him from obscurity to the national arena, captivating millions of spectators.

Puthur, whose father Sunil Kumar drives an autorickshaw and mother K.P Bindu is a homemaker, made an immediate impression by taking 3 wickets for 32 runs in his four-over spell. Yet, it was not just the wickets that caught attention; Puthur's willingness to flight the ball and his impressive control and variations posed challenges for experienced batsmen.

A right-handed batsman and left-arm wrist spinner, Puthur is among the latest talents discovered by the Mumbai Indians, joining the ranks of stars like Saurabh Tiwary, Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik Pandya, and Tilak Varma. His style of bowling has been likened to that of Kuldeep Yadav, and the Mumbai Indians management is optimistic about his potential, anticipating he will achieve similar success.

On Sunday, Puthur secured the wickets of CSK skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad, who caught out at long-on; Shivam Dube, who fell to a catch near the boundary for just nine runs; and Deepak Hooda, who misjudged a slog-sweep and was caught in the deep.

Despite financial hurdles, Puthur continued his quest for cricketing excellence, relocating from Malappuram to Thrissur to pursue his dreams. Initially a medium pacer through college cricket, he transitioned to spin later in his development but quickly found success.

His rise to prominence was marked by his performances for St Thomas College in Thrissur, where he pursued a Master of Arts in Literature. Excelling for the Alleppey Ripples in the inaugural season of the Kerala Cricket League and participating in the Tamil Nadu Premier League brought him into the limelight.

It was during his time in the Kerala Premier League that Puthur caught the attention of the Mumbai Indians’ talent scouts. He was acquired by MI in the IPL auction 2025 for Rs 30 lakh.

Earlier this year, to further his development as a bowler, the Mumbai Indians sent Puthur to South Africa for the third season of SA20, where he served as a net bowler for MI Cape Town and trained alongside Rashid Khan, a top wrist-spinner in T20 cricket.

Vignesh Puthur’s performance on Sunday underscores the effectiveness of the Mumbai Indians' talent scouting system. Both the franchise and Puthur must now strive to build on this momentum and achieve greater success.