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Vignesh, a native of Malappuram, Kerala, comes from a humble background. His father, Sunil Kumar, works as an autorickshaw driver, while his mother, K.P. Bindhu, is a homemaker. Despite financial challenges, his family has remained a strong source of support throughout his cricketing journey. To chase his cricketing ambitions, Vignesh relocated from Malappuram to Thrissur. He began his career as a medium pacer in college-level cricket before later transitioning into spin bowling.
He rose to prominence while playing for St. Thomas College in Thrissur, where he pursued a Master’s degree in Literature. His impressive performances for the Alleppey Ripples in the first edition of the Kerala Cricket League earned him recognition. Additionally, he gained experience competing in the Tamil Nadu Premier League. Although he has played age-group cricket for Kerala, including the Under-23 category, he is yet to make his senior debut for the state team.
Mumbai Indians recognized Vignesh’s talent during his performances in the Kerala Cricket League and secured him for ₹30 lakh in the 2025 IPL auction. Earlier this year, the franchise sent him to South Africa for the third season of SA20, where he worked as a net bowler for MI Cape Town. During his time there, he had the chance to train alongside Rashid Khan, one of the most skilled wrist-spinners in T20 cricket. Renowned commentator Harsha Bhogle noted that Vignesh was delivering his deliveries at speeds in the high 70 kph range, drawing comparisons to Kuldeep Yadav when he first emerged on the scene. As Mumbai Indians aim to harness his talent and mystery spin, all eyes will be on the left-arm wrist-spinner throughout the 2025 season.
Vignesh Puthur has become the latest discovery by Mumbai Indians’ renowned scouting team, joining the ranks of Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya. The 24-year-old wrist-spinner from Kerala grabbed headlines in MI’s opening match of the 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL) against Chennai Super Kings in Chennai. Making an instant impression, Vignesh struck early, claiming three wickets in his first three overs, including key dismissals of captain Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shivam Dube, and Deepak Hooda.
A left-arm wrist-spinner reminiscent of Kuldeep Yadav, Vignesh displayed confidence in flighting the ball, successfully outfoxing some of the top spin players on Sunday, March 23. Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shivam Dube, and Deepak Hooda all fell to his deceptive deliveries, getting caught in the deep. Ruturaj mistimed a shot while attempting to clear the long-on boundary, while Dube also found a fielder in the deep while trying to hit a big one. Despite the high-pressure occasion, the young debutant—who has yet to feature in senior-level cricket for Kerala remained composed, making an immediate impact for the Suryakumar Yadav-led side in Chennai. Vignesh entered the game as an Impact Substitute in the second innings, replacing Rohit Sharma during Mumbai Indians' match against CSK.
𝘼 𝙙𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙢 𝙙𝙚𝙗𝙪𝙩 ✨
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) March 23, 2025
Twin strikes from the young Vignesh Puthur sparks a comeback for #MI 💙
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