Chennai Super Kings (CSK) defeated Mumbai Indians (MI) in their first meeting in the IPL 2025 season in Chennai by 4 wickets with ease. Noor Ahmad with 4 wickets and Rachin Ravindra with 65* paved the way for the Yellow Army’s win.

However, the 24-year-old Kerala spinner Vignesh Puthur also made a name for himself, despite not playing any senior T20 game for his state. Puthur took wickets of Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shivam Dube, and Deepak Hooda to put brakes on the smooth sailing of CSK in the chase ofa  156-run target.

After Ravindra hit a six to finish the game, and the players from each side shook hands on a customary note, MS Dhoni walked up to Puthur to shake his hand and conversed with the youngster as well. Puthur said something in Dhoni’s ear due to noise in the stadium and everyone wondered what was said between the two.

Vignesh's eyes lit up in ways he could never have imagined.  The two spoke briefly before Dhoni returned to the dugout.

The following morning, when Vignesh's close buddy Sreerag called, the first question he posed was the one that everyone was thinking about.

"Eddaaa, pulli entha da paranchu? (What did MS Dhoni say) is what I asked first because even my parents were keen to know," he told The Indian Express.

Sreerag, who used to take Vignesh on his bike for training and back to the eatery that served fish, finally put an end to the suspense.   

"Dhoni asked him how old is he and told Vignesh to keep doing the same things that have brought him to the IPL," he said.

Vignesh’s performance on IPL debut where he took 3 key CSK wickets despite MI losing the game left his family 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," Sreerag said.