Little-known tales of Mumbai Indians' Vignesh Puthur, and the role of Alleppey Ripples and Malappuram in his career

By K.R. Nayar
From Mumbai

When dreams, which one thinks are impossible, come true, the effect is nothing short of amazing. Vignesh Puthur from Kerala, who bagged three wickets for Mumbai Indians against Chennai Super Kings and became the talk of the Indian Premier League (IPL), is living his dream.

It’s not just the three wickets he took with his left-arm wrist spin that must have thrilled him, but the moment after the match when he received a pat on the back from none other than the legendary former Indian captain, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, of Chennai Super Kings. 

Vignesh Puthur gets a pat from the legendary Mahenda Singh Dhoni 

To fully grasp the enormity of this occasion, one needs to know more about Puthur. His story reveals that no matter where one comes from or what circumstances one grows up in, glory can be achieved through hard work and dedication.

I first heard about Puthur when I visited Trident, the Mumbai Indians’ team hotel, for the pre-season press conference on March 19. Some people who knew about my association with the Kerala Cricket Association as an official and umpire mentioned that there was a Malayalee in the Mumbai team. None expected that he would become the sensation of Mumbai’s first IPL match.

Skipper Suryakumar Yadav puts an around Vignesh Puthur while lauding his spell  

Puthur’s inspiring story — being the son of an autorickshaw driver in Malappuram, a town in North Kerala — is now all over social media. For him, having Indian T20 and Mumbai skipper Suryakumar Yadav put an arm around him in appreciation and receiving an award from Mumbai Indians owner Nita Ambani must have felt like living a dream.

Vignesh Puthur in Alleppey Ripples team jersey 

When Puthur bowled brilliantly, everyone was surprised because he hadn’t even played senior cricket for Kerala. The determination shown by this 24-year-old who made such an impression is indeed inspiring.   I first visited Malappuram  when I was part of the Kerala Cricket Association’s coaching committee. Although there was no shortage of talented cricketers, those days there were hardly any facilities for players to grow and blossom. The love for the game, however, was intense. Many youngsters would show up for net sessions on a matting wicket in Angadipuram, a suburb of Perinthalmanna town.

Mohammad Afzal from Malappuram with whom Vignesh Puthur plays domestic matches.

One of the talented players from that place was an all-rounder named Mohammed Afzal, who was part of the Kerala Under-15 team that I managed when we went to Chennai. He went on to play for the Kerala Under-19 team but, like many talented players from this town, he moved to Abu Dhabi to earn a living. His brother, Hyder Ali, had even played for the Kerala Ranji Trophy team, but followed the same path. Back then, cricket didn’t offer a livelihood, and most youngsters from the region opted to move to the Gulf for better prospects.  It’s no surprise that Puthur also focused on his studies. If not for the IPL, he too might have faded away like many others. He is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in English from PTM Government College in Perinthalmanna.

Alleppey Ripples, Kaladharan, and Fida Asghar of UAE

Though his performance for Mumbai Indians has put him in the limelight, it was Alleppey Ripples, a team that played in the Kerala Cricket League (KCL), that initially brought him recognition. Alleppey Ripples is owned by T.S. Kaladharan, a passionate cricket enthusiast and owner of Dubai-based Consolidated Shipping Services. Kaladharan has always encouraged talented cricketers by even offering them jobs in his company.

T.S. Kaladharan, owner of Alleppey Ripples 

Former Kerala Ranji Trophy player Fida Asghar also played a key role in supporting Kaladharan in identifying talent, and Puthur joined Alleppey Ripples after impressing Asghar. Narrating how he discovered Puthur, Asghar said, “It was Abhiram, the opening batsman for CSS, who recommended Puthur. He insisted we pick this boy during the KCL auction — and he was right. In the first match, Puthur took three wickets and caught the eye of a talent scout from Mumbai Indians. From there, he was taken for the South Africa T20 and later played for Mumbai in the ILT20 in Dubai.”

Fida Asghar carries years of experience on spotting talents  

The rise from Malappuram cricket

Afzal, who has seen Puthur from a very young age, remarked that he was always a promising performer. “Puthur played for Jolly Rovers Oldies. After I returned from the Gulf, we set up this team. Although it was called ‘Oldies,’ most of the players, except for a few like me, were youngsters, and Puthur was one of them. He was initially trained by coach Vijayan, who has been coaching for over 25 years. Later, when a KCA Academy was established in Perinthalmanna, he trained there under my brother Hyder. Puthur impressed everyone and was selected for the Kerala Under-14 team, where he eventually became vice-captain, and later played for the Kerala Under-17 team.”

Malappuram’s deep love for the game also inspired Puthur. “There was a time when Malappuram had no facilities, but today, the Malappuram District Cricket Association has its own stadium. This stadium, built on nine acres, is a table-top ground. Officials like Pradeep Kumar, Haridas, and MS Vishwanath, who have served the game for many years, made this happen. They must be proud of Puthur’s success because their efforts are finally yielding results,” noted Afzal. Incidentally, I had umpired state matches with MS Vishwanath, one of the rare umpires from this region back then. Even today, he never misses being on a cricket ground.

Vignesh Puthur touches Nita Ambani's feet as a mark of respect.

Puthur grew up surrounded by such devoted individuals who constantly supported him. Coming from a family that struggled to make ends meet, being bought by Mumbai Indians for ₹30 lakhs was an unimaginable dream for his family. It’s no wonder that when Mumbai Indians owner Nita Ambani presented him with the Best Bowler award after the match, Puthur bowed down to touch her feet. For a boy who grew up fighting against the odds, humility is bound to be a hallmark of his character — and he displayed it honourably.