Meet Vignesh Puthur: The boy from Kerala & MI debutant who ‘spun’ his way into IPL, ‘impacting’ CSK’s batting

In the grand stage of the Indian Premier League, dreams are either made or shattered. For Vignesh Puthur, a 24-year-old left-arm wrist spinner from Malappuram, Kerala, it was the night his dream took flight.

Introduced as Mumbai Indians’ Impact Player in their IPL 2025 opener against Chennai Super Kings, Vignesh delivered a debut performance to remember— a spell that stunned even the most seasoned cricket watchers, sending chills through the CSK camp and silencing the entire Chepauk.

On Sunday night in Chennai, all those years of toil came full circle. His first IPL wicket? None other than Ruturaj Gaikwad, caught at long-off by Will Jacks. His second? A well-set Shivam Dube, sending a mistimed loft straight into the safe hands of Tilak Varma at long-on. And as Deepak Hooda fell next, Puthur had three wickets on debut, scripting a dream start to what could be an incredible career.

The young gun even left the legend MS Dhoni full of appreciation for him.

For a youngster yet to play senior-level cricket for Kerala, this was no less than a fairytale. Picked up at a base price of Rs 30 lakh in the IPL 2025 mega auction, Vignesh had remained an unfamiliar name, having only represented Kerala at the U-14 and U-19 levels.

His journey had been anything but easy. Initially a medium pacer, it was local cricketer Mohammed Sherif who suggested he try wrist spin—a move that would change his life forever.

Relentless hard work in Kerala’s local circuits, a standout run for St. Thomas College in the Kerala College Premier T20 League, and a breakthrough stint with Jolly Rovers Cricket Club finally put him on the IPL radar. While his numbers in the Kerala Cricket League weren’t extraordinary—just two wickets in three matches—his raw talent and perseverance caught Mumbai Indians’ scouts’ attention.