Subhechcha Ganguly 
It has taken just three IPL 2025 games for Mumbai Indians’ Vignesh Puthur to announce himself as a breakout star. The 24-year-old left-arm wrist-spinner bamboozled Chennai Super Kings batters on Sunday, finishing with 3/32. While MI lost the match by four wickets, Puthur’s performance stood out, even earning praise from MS Dhoni.
Interestingly, it wasn’t just CSK batters who struggled against him. Ahead of the game, Puthur had already troubled MI’s own stalwarts—Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, and Tilak Varma—in the nets. Recognizing his potential, MI backed him for the big game. “It wasn’t easy to pick him. We felt confident pushing him in this game, and it turned out excellent,” said MI bowling coach Paras Mhambrey.
Picked for ₹30 lakh at the auction, Puthur had no prior competitive experience beyond three Kerala Cricket League matches. However, MI’s scouting system unearthed his talent and even sent him to South Africa to train with MI Cape Town, where he honed his skills alongside Rashid Khan and Trent Boult. With his unique ability to turn the ball both ways, Puthur could be MI’s latest hidden gem, following in the footsteps of Hardik Pandya and Jasprit Bumrah.
