IPL 2025: Who is Vignesh Puthur, the Kerala left-arm wrist spinner who dismissed Dube and Gaikwad on debut for MI

Vignesh Puthur, a left-arm wrist spinner, was introduced as Impact Player by Mumbai Indians for its Indian Premier League 2025 campaign opener against Chennai Super Kings on Sunday.

He picked the prized wicket of Super Kings captain Ruturaj Gaikwad in his very first over. Vignesh bowled a full ball outside off-stump to Gaikwad, who hit it straight to Will Jacks down the ground. In his second over, Vignesh nabbed Shivam Dube, who holed out to Tilak Varma at long-on.

Deepak Hooda became Puthur’s third victim when he picked the deep square leg fielder off an attempted slog sweep.

The 23-year-old left-arm wrist spinner from Malappuram in Kerala was signed by the five-time champion for a base price of Rs. 30 lakh.

Puthur is yet to represent Kerala at the senior level. He has only played for the State at the under-14 and under-19 levels. He played for Alleppey Ripples in the Kerala Cricket League, where he only picked up two wickets from three matches. He also had a stint in the Tamil Nadu Premier League.

In his early days as a cricketer, Vignesh bowled medium pace and spin before he was asked to try leg spin by local cricketer Mohammed Sherif. He didn’t know what ‘chinaman’ was, though he kept working on his bowling.

Then he moved to Thrissur to further his cricket career and was one of the leading bowlers in the Kerala College Premier T20 league for St. Thomas College.

His consistent performances for Jolly Rovers Cricket Club earned him a place in the Alleppey Ripples squad for the KCL, which ultimately changed his career.

(With inputs from P.K. Ajith Kumar)

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