Vignesh Puthur, a 24-year-old spinner, made a significant impression during his IPL debut for the Mumbai Indians by taking the crucial wickets of Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shivam Dube, and Deepak Hooda in a high-stakes match against the Chennai Super Kings. Selected as the Impact Substitute, he replaced former captain Rohit Sharma in the second innings of the tournament opener. Puthur emerged as the leading bowler for MI, despite the team suffering their 13th consecutive loss in their opening match of the season.

He certainly caught the attention of the legendary CSK wicketkeeper Mahendra Singh Dhoni with his impressive performance. Dhoni came to bat in the penultimate over and faced a few deliveries, but it was Rachin Ravindra who ultimately hit the decisive six, securing victory for the home team.

Following the match, Dhoni and Rachin Ravindra exchanged handshakes with the opposing players, during which the former Indian captain took a moment to meet Vignesh and offered him a supportive pat on the back.

Former India coach Ravi Shastri, who was commentating at the time, remarked, "A pat on the shoulder for young Vignesh Puthur. I doubt he will forget this moment for a long time."

In the meantime, CSK captain Gaikwad became Vignesh's inaugural wicket in the IPL, disrupting a vital 67-run partnership that had brought Mumbai back into contention. 

In his subsequent two overs, he dismissed both Dube and Hooda, providing Mumbai with a glimmer of hope. Nevertheless, Mumbai was unable to capitalize on this opportunity, as they sorely missed the bowling prowess of Jasprit Bumrah.

'Vinesh a product of MI scouting process'

MI's stand-in captain Suryakumar Yadav praised the team's scouting efforts, which led to the identification and subsequent signing of Vignesh during the auction.

"Remarkably, MI has a reputation for providing opportunities to young talent; our scouts dedicate ten months to this process, and Vignesh is a testament to their work," Surya remarked to broadcasters following MI's defeat.

He also discussed his strategy of entrusting the young spinner with a vital 18th over in the match, during which he conceded 15 runs.

"I had planned to keep one of his overs in reserve in case the game extended, but it was an obvious choice to give him the 18th over," he noted.

Read Also: IPL 2025: Rachin Ravindra Leads CSK to Thrilling 4-Wicket Win Over MI

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