'Dhoni Asked Him...': What MSD Told Vignesh Puthur During Their Viral Interaction After IPL Debut
Vignesh Puthur made immediate impact on his IPL debut, taking three wickets during MI's season opening match against CSK in Chennai.
Vignesh Puthur is living his dream.
The unheralded Kerala spinner made quite an impression on his IPL 2025 debut for Mumbai Indians that saw him pick up three wickets against Chennai Super Kings at Chepauk on Sunday night. Vignesh, a left-arm wristspinner, took the wickets of Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shivam Dube and Deepak Hooda to bring MI back in the contest after CSK had recovered from an early blow in the chase of 156.
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After CSK went on to comfortably win the contest, the legendary MS Dhoni, during the customary post-match handshakes, had a brief chat with Vignesh.
Since then, everyone in Kerala has been asking the same question to Vignesh’s father: What did Dhoni say to your son?
“Dhoni asked him how old is he and told Vignesh to keep doing the same things that have brought him to the IPL," Vignesh’s friend Sreerag told The Indian Express.
Sreerag further revealed that the 24-year-old cricketer’s parents have been quite overwhelmed.
“They were clearly taken aback. At this moment, you need to stay true to your roots and that’s what I told them. We have seen what quick fame and money could do to cricketers. We saw it with Vinod Kambli then and now we are seeing it with Prithvi Shaw. This one game doesn’t make him good or bad," he said.
Vignesh, whose father drives an autorickshaw, has played age-group cricket in Kerala but his yet to make his senior debut.
Despite the lack of T20 experience T20, MI banked on his potential and roped him for Rs 30 lakh at the two-day IPL mega auction in Jeddah last year after attending their trials.
He was also sent to South Africa to bowl in the nets for MI Cape Town which helped him further develop his skills. And the result was evident when, after coming in as Impact Player, he removed Gaikwad who was batting on 53, got the better of Dube – known for bashing spinners – on 9 and sent back dangerman Hooda (3) as well to trigger a mini collapse.
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