IPL 2025 CSK vs MI: Who is Vignesh Puthur, son of an autorickshaw driver from Kerala, who impressed MS Dhoni with three-wicket haul on IPL debut?

Yes, he ended up on the losing side, but Vignesh Puthur won everybody's hearts, including Mahendra Singh Dhoni's it seems.

The 24-year-old wrist spinner from Malappuram, Kerala, made his IPL debut last night for the Mumbai Indians against Chennai Super Kings. Though MI lost the low-scoring encounter by four wickets, it was Puthur's 3/32 that took the match to the last over and almost gave CSK a scare.

MI could score only 155/9, as Noor Ahmad (4/18) and Khaleel Ahmed (3/29) rocked the Mumbai batters with wickets at regular intervals. Tilak Varma was the top-scorer with 31.

Chasing 156, CSK opener Rachin Ravindra remained unbeaten on 65 to guide his team home in style, finishing off things in style with a six off the first ball of the final over of the match bowled by Mitchell Santner. Skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad, too, played a crucial innings of 53 off just 26 balls.

In fact, if Gaikwad had been in the centre, the match would probably been finished well before the final over. But Puthur had other ideas.

Having come on as an Impact Player instead of Rohit Sharma, the 24-year-old got the CSK skipper to miscue one to be caught at the straight boundary in his first over on IPL debut.

In his second over, Puthur dismissed a dangerous Dube for nine, again at the straight boundary. And, in his third over, he got Hooda caught for three runs.

Puthur was given the ball again only in the 18th over, with CSK needing 31 off 18 balls. But he conceded 15 runs, including two sixes by Ravindra, which proved decisive in the end.

Who is Vignesh Puthur, the mystery spinner from Kerala?

MI captain Suryakumar Yadav's decision to hold back Puthur 's fourth over is being widely debated. But, his efforts were lauded by the experts, players and netizens alike. Former India opener and commentator Navjot Singh Sidhu said that Puthur reminds him of spin legends Erapalli Prasanna and Bishen Singh Bedi.

In fact, when players were shaking hands after the match, Puthur came face-to-face with none other than Dhoni, who remained unbeaten on zero. He was seen grinning and sharing a few words with the former India skipper and CSK legend. Dhoni was seen patting his shoulder, probably appreciating his three-wicket haul on debut.

Interestingly, Puthur is yet to play senior-level cricket for Kerala. He has reportedly represented the state at the U-14, U-19 and U-23 levels. He played three matches for Alleppey Ripples in the Kerala Cricket League, picking up two wickets.

But the Mumbai Indians scouting team, which, over the years, has earned a reputation for identifying young talents such as Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya among others, fast-tracked him to the biggest stage in T20 cricket.

He was called for IPL 2025 trials and was bought for his base price of Rs 30 lakh.

He has played as a net bowler for MI Cape Town in the SA20, and has played in the Tamil Nadu Premier League as well.

Puthur's father Sunil Kumar is an autorickshaw driver and mother K.P. Bindu a homemaker. He trained at the Malappuram District Cricket Academy. 

He started off as a medium pacer before switching to leg-spin. Puthur moved to Thrissur and starred in Kerala College Premier T20 league for St. Thomas College.

He did not get a chance to represent Kerala at the senior level, but continued playing club cricket for Jolly Rovers in Perinthalmanna, and in the Kerala Cricket League.

India left-arm wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav is his inspiration. And if he continues his form in this edition of the IPL, he might be able to play alongside his idol one day in the future.