Daijiworld Media Network - Chennai

Chennai, Mar 24: The IPL 2025 clash in Chennai saw left-arm wristspinners take center stage. Noor Ahmad, the more established name, dazzled with 4 for 18, but the real surprise came from Mumbai Indians’ debutant Vignesh Puthur. The 24-year-old from Kerala, playing his first senior-level T20 match, stunned everyone with key wickets of Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shivam Dube, and Deepak Hooda.

For a moment, Mumbai Indians seemed on course to defend their modest 155-run total, thanks to Puthur’s spell. But CSK eventually chased down the target.

Mumbai's bowling coach, Paras Mhambrey, explained why MI backed Puthur despite his lack of experience. "At MI, we look at potential over experience. When we saw him at trials, we noticed his ability to spin the ball consistently, land it accurately, and bowl a deceptive googly," he said.

Puthur was introduced as an Impact Player and began his spell after the powerplay. By then, CSK had built momentum, with Ruturaj Gaikwad leading the charge. However, Puthur's well-tossed delivery tempted Gaikwad into an aerial shot, only to be caught. Dube and Hooda suffered similar fates, struggling to time their shots against his slower deliveries.

Mhambrey revealed that even Mumbai’s top batters found Puthur tricky in practice. "Rohit, Surya, and Tilak faced him in the nets and felt he wasn’t easy to play. That gave us the confidence to field him in such a high-pressure match," he added.

Puthur was picked up by MI for INR 30 lac after trials and spent time as a net bowler in South Africa with MI Cape Town, fast-tracking his development. "More than skills, it was about learning from legends like Mahela Jayawardene, Kieron Pollard, and Rohit Sharma," Mhambrey said.

Despite sharing a dressing room with his idols, Puthur handled the big stage like a pro. "From the very first ball, he showed no nerves, and that was great to see," Mhambrey concluded.

With such an impressive debut, Puthur looks set to be MI’s next spin sensation.