In a surprising turn of events during the IPL 2025 season opener, Vignesh Puthur, a young spinner from Kerala, made his debut for the Mumbai Indians (MI) as an Impact Substitute, stepping in for the team’s captain Rohit Sharma.
This debut is particularly noteworthy as Puthur has yet to play any professional T20 matches prior to this moment.
Background and Early Life
Vignesh Puthur was born on March 2, 2001, in Perinthalmanna, a town in the Malappuram district of Kerala.
Coming from a modest background, he is the son of an auto-rickshaw driver, Sunil Kumar, and his mother, KP Bindu, is a homemaker.
Despite financial challenges, his parents have been supportive of his cricketing aspirations.
Puthur began his cricketing journey at the age of 11 and honed his skills as a left-arm wrist-spinner.
He represented Kerala at various junior levels, including Under-14 and Under-19 tournaments. However, he did not make it to the senior state team until now.
Rise to IPL
Vignesh’s breakthrough came when he participated in the inaugural Kerala Cricket League (KCL) in 2024 while playing for the Alleppey Ripples.
Although he only took two wickets in three matches during the tournament, his unique bowling style caught the attention of MI scouts.
His performance in KCL led to him being invited to trials with MI, where he bowled alongside established players like Hardik Pandya and received guidance from head coach Mahela Jayawardene.
Despite limited opportunities in KCL and not having played any T20 matches for Kerala’s senior team, MI recognized Puthur’s potential and signed him for ₹30 lakhs during the IPL 2025 Mega Auction held in November 2024.
The IPL Debut
Puthur made his IPL debut on March 23, 2025, against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.
His inclusion as an Impact Substitute was unexpected given that MI already had experienced spinners like Karn Sharma and Mitchell Santner on their roster.
However, MI’s management appears to be keen on nurturing young talent and giving them opportunities to shine on such a grand stage.
As he stepped onto the field for his debut match, Puthur became one of the few players in IPL history to debut without any prior professional T20 experience.
This moment marked a significant milestone not only for him but also for aspiring cricketers from modest backgrounds who dream of making it big in professional cricket.
