Mumbai Indians (MI) have confirmed that left-arm leg spinner Vignesh Puthur has been ruled out of IPL 2025 due to bone stress reactions in both shins. In response, the franchise has signed uncapped leg spinner Raghu Sharma as Puthur’s replacement. Puthur had made a strong impression in his debut season, notably picking up three wickets in his very first match against Chennai Super Kings. Over five matches, he took six wickets at an economy rate of 9.08, earning widespread praise despite having no prior first-class cricket experience.

Although sidelined, Vignesh Puthur is staying with the Mumbai Indians during recovery. The team management has ensured he continues to receive medical and fitness attention from the team's medical and fitness professionals. This is to reaffirm that Puthur returns to full fitness and is back competing in cricket as soon as possible. Having a person around gives the team presence that will help with Puthur's rehabilitation and for him to remain engaged mentally in the environment of the squad.

See Also: IPL 2025: Mumbai Indians rope in Raghu Sharma as replacement for Vignesh Puthur

"Vignesh will continue to be with the team to focus on his recovery and rehabilitation with the Mumbai Indians medical and S&C team," the franchise said in a statement.

𝐑𝐚𝐠𝐡𝐮 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐦𝐚 𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐕𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐡 𝐏𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐮𝐫 𝐚𝐭 𝐌𝐮𝐦𝐛𝐚𝐢 𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐨𝐟 #TATAIPL 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓 𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐨𝐧.

📰 Read more ➡ https://t.co/n9MJ7PvqlQ#MumbaiIndians #PlayLikeMumbai pic.twitter.com/a9Ia6XxLlZ

— Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) May 1, 2025

Who Is Raghu Sharma?

Raghu Sharma is a right-arm leg-break bowler who was born in Punjab's Jalandhar in March 1993. He played for Punjab and Puducherry in domestic cricket. In just 11 first-class matches, Sharma has taken 57 wickets at an average of 19.59, with best bowling figures of 7/56. In List A cricket, Sharma picked up 14 wickets in nine matches, with best figures of 4/37. Adding this, he also played in 3 T20 matches where he picked up three wickets. Just like Puthur, this will be a maiden IPL stint for him. He joins MI at his base price of Rs 30 lakhs from the RAPP list.

MI had a slow start in this tournament, as at one time, MI was in the 9th spot in the IPL 2025 points table, where in the first five games in the IPL 2025, Mumbai Indians had managed to win just one game. But since then, they have defeated all five of their opponents and are currently in a strong position in the IPL 2025 standings. Currently, Mumbai Indians are in third place on the points table with 12 points from ten games, heading into the IPL 2025 clash against the Rajasthan Royals on Thursday.

Mumbai Indians have signed leg-spinner Raghu Sharma as a replacement for the injured Vignesh Puthur for the rest of IPL 2025. Raghu, a 31-year-old from Jalandhar, has played domestic cricket for Punjab and Puducherry. This will be his first time playing in the IPL. He joins the team at his base price of ₹30 lakh.

Raghu has done well in first-class cricket, taking 57 wickets in 11 matches, with his best bowling figures being 7 for 56. He also has 14 wickets in 9 List A matches and 3 wickets in T20 games

Raghu Sharma Joins Mumbai Indians as Injury Replacement for Vignesh Puthur

Vignesh Puthur’s injury came at an unfortunate time in this season, when he was starting to make a name for himself and improving his game in a great tournament. He made his IPL debut this season in MI’s first match against Chennai Super Kings and impressed with a three-wicket haul. He went on to play five matches and took a total of six wickets before being ruled out.

𝐑𝐚𝐠𝐡𝐮 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐦𝐚 𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐕𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐡 𝐏𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐮𝐫 𝐚𝐭 𝐌𝐮𝐦𝐛𝐚𝐢 𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐨𝐟 #TATAIPL 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓 𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐨𝐧.

📰 Read more ➡ https://t.co/n9MJ7PvqlQ#MumbaiIndians #PlayLikeMumbai pic.twitter.com/a9Ia6XxLlZ

— Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) May 1, 2025

Even though he won’t play again this season, Vignesh will stay with the team and continue his recovery with the support of the Mumbai Indians’ medical and fitness staff. The franchise has backed the 22-year-old as he focuses on getting fit again.

ALSO READ: WATCH: Mumbai Indians' latest recruit Raghu Sharma bowling for Punjab

Meanwhile, Mumbai Indians have found their rhythm. After a slow start with just one win in their first five matches, they’ve bounced back with five straight victories. In the past, when MI have won five games in a row during a season, they’ve ended up lifting the trophy four out of five times. Fans will be hoping history repeats itself.

Mumbai Indians (MI) have confirmed that talented left-arm wristspinner Vignesh Puthur has been ruled out of the rest of IPL 2025 after suffering bone stress reactions in both his shins. In his stead, the franchise has signed uncapped legspinner Raghu Sharma, who makes his first foray into the Indian Premier League.

Puthur, who made an impressive debut earlier this season, caught attention with a three-wicket haul against Chennai Super Kings. In his five matches for MI, he picked up six wickets with an economy rate of 9.08. Despite the setback, the franchise confirmed that Puthur will stay on with the squad to continue his rehabilitation under the supervision of the Mumbai Indians’ medical and strength & conditioning team.

"Vignesh will continue to be with the team to focus on his recovery and rehabilitation," MI stated. The 23-year-old, son of an auto-rickshaw driver, was one of MI’s standout rookie stories this season and quickly became a fan favorite.

ALSO SEE:'Used to take injections and play'— RCB star reveals his tough days fighting against medical issues

Sharma Joins Mumbai Indians Squad Ahead of Crucial Matches

Taking his place in the squad is 32-year-old Raghu Sharma, a right-arm leg-break bowler from Jalandhar, Punjab. Sharma has previously represented Punjab and Puducherry in domestic cricket. Though this is his first official IPL stint, he has been part of the Mumbai Indians' net bowling group and joins the main squad at his base price of INR 30 lakh.

With solid domestic credentials, Sharma brings experience to the side. In 11 first-class matches, he has claimed 57 wickets at an average of 19.59, including best bowling figures of 7 for 56. In the List A format, he has 14 wickets from nine games, and in the T20 format, he has three wickets from as many appearances.

MI have turned their season around after a sluggish start, having now won five consecutive matches and climbing to third on the points table with 12 points from ten games. With Sharma coming in, the team will be hoping to maintain their winning momentum as they head toward the business end of the tournament.

A Mother's Love: Vignesh Puthur's First Wicket and His Mom's Priceless Reaction

Cricket is more than a game; it is an emotional experience with dedicated effort, sacrifices, and memories that one cannot wipe out of memory. For Vignesh Puthur, his first wicket was a dream he made a reality, but what made it even sweeter and memorable was his mother's naivety and priceless reaction.
The Emotional Moment
The moment Vignesh Puthur took his first wicket, there was celebration all across the ground. But the real magic lay elsewhere, on the ground where his mother sat anxiously. The moment he took the wicket, her eyes lit up with happiness, pride, and sheer emotion. Her response was pure love—her eyes welled up with tears of happiness as she cheered for her son.

Vignesh Puthur's mom when he took his first wicket.. This is best video of this IPL.. Anyone mother's happy we men are happy ❤️❤️ pic.twitter.com/uDRoeibDZq

— Gareebchacha (@gareebchacha) March 26, 2025

ALSO READ:Rise of Shreyas iyer: From Setback to Stardom

A Reflection of Sacrifice and Support
Behind each successful sportsperson is a family that has sacrificed, encouraged, and believed in them through every peak and trough.
Vignesh's mother was not different. From his days playing cricket to his first class debut, she accompanied him, providing him with the encouragement and the guts to pursue his dreams. Her response had nothing to do with the wicket—it was about years of labor, hardship, and trust finally paying off.

Mumbai Indians (MI) effected a shock action in their IPL 2025 season opener versus Chennai Super Kings (CSK), bringing out an unsung name Vignesh Puthur who replaced Rohit Sharma as the Impact Player in Chepauk.

The 23-year-old left-arm wrist spinner, unheard of for most of IPL enthusiasts, made an immediate impact. He got rid of Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shivam Dube, and Deepak Hooda, tempting them into big hits with his misleading flight, only to have them caught close to the boundary.

An Unexpected Journey

Puthur's ascension to the IPL is nothing less than remarkable. A Malappuram, Kerala native, he never played senior-level domestic cricket. His cricket experience was confined to Kerala's U-14 and U-19 teams, while club cricket provided him with his main platform.

Though given little visibility, MI scouts noticed promise in the young off-spinner during Kerala Cricket League (KCL) when he was playing for Alleppey Ripples. While he picked three wickets from two games, his potential to deliver the seldom-seen 'chinaman' ball with ease and variety delighted talent hunters.

The Moment That Changed Everything

His path to the IPL wasn't smooth. Hailing from a modest background his father an autorickshaw driver and his mother a housewife Puthur never thought he would be selected in the auction. In fact, he had switched off his television prior to the speed bidding round, thinking that he wouldn't be called up.

THE INSPIRING JOURNEY OF VIGNESH PUTHUR: 🙇

- Vignesh Puthur didn't play senior level cricket before this IPL match& he didn't represent his state team for Kerala - He's making his debut in IPL today & picked Ruturaj, Dube & Hooda in this Match.

- What a talent, Vignesh Puthur! pic.twitter.com/j2igz34vR7

— Tanuj Singh (@ImTanujSingh) March 23, 2025

ALSO READ: Ishan Kishan Smashes First Century of IPL 2025 on SRH Debut

But Mumbai Indians saw something special. After multiple trials, where he bowled to MI’s top players under the watchful eyes of the coaching staff, they decided to take a chance on him. And when his name finally appeared, MI secured him at his base price of ₹30 lakh.

Making It Count on the Big Stage

On Sunday, that risk paid dividends. Playing in one of the IPL's toughest derbies, Puthur demonstrated why MI signed him up. Replacing a legend like Rohit Sharma was a gigantic decision, but the young man gave no indication of nerves, producing a dream debut performance.

For Vignesh Puthur, it is only the start. But if his first match is anything to go by, he's here to stay.