Garrett Crochet Had Wholesome Response to Achieving First Complete Shutout Game

Boston Red Sox pitcher Garrett Crochet threw a complete game shutout for the first time in his career on Saturday, leading the Red Sox to a 1-0 win over the Tampa Bay Rays.

Crochet pitched all nine innings and allowed just three hits, no walks or runs, and struck out nine for the Red Sox. After reaching this feat for the first time, Crochet hilariously admitted he didn't know what to do after notching the final out of the game.

“I didn’t even know what to do when the third out was recorded,” Crochet said after the game, via Christopher Smith of . “I was like, ‘Where do I stand?’"

Crochet, who was recently named to his second straight MLB All-Star Game, called his first complete game shutout "really special." He previously came close to such a game against the New York Yankees last month, but gave up a home run to Aaron Judge in the ninth inning. This time around, Crochet managed to close out the game.

“It was really awesome, really special. Just grateful to get the job done,” Crochet said, via Smith. "… Incredibly satisfying. … Nice to keep the streak going, too.”

With Crochet's performance, the Red Sox extend their winning streak to nine straight games. They are now 52-45 and are 4.5 games back of the Toronto Blue Jays in the American League East.

Atlético-MG e Cruzeiro voltam a fazer final do Mineiro; veja como foram as semis

MatériaMais Notícias

Atlético-MG e Cruzeiro estão classificados para a final do Campeonato Mineiro 2024. Os rivais farão a grande decisão do estadual após superarem América e Tombense, respectivamente, nas semifinais da competição. No entanto, os confrontos de Galo e Raposa tiveram enredos bem diferentes para conseguirem suas vagas.

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As partidas de volta do Mineiro foram disputadas nete fim de semana. O Atlético-MG enfrentou o Coelho neste domingo (17), na Arena Independência, e saiu derrotado por 2 a 1. Contudo, como havia vencido por 2 a 0 na ida, o Galo garantiu seu lugar na final. Do outro lado, o Cruzeiro encarou o Tombense no Mineirão, no sábado (16), e venceu por 3 a 1. Com o empate em 0 a 0 no primeiro jogo, a Raposa volta à decisão do estadual. Confira abaixo como foram as partidas.

AMÉRICA 2 x 1 ATLÉTICO-MG (2 x 3 no agregado)

O América entrou em campo precisando reverter de 2 a 0 conquistado pelo Atlético-MG na ida, e foi para cima logo de cara. Assim, o Coelho abriu o placar com Brenner, aos seis minutos de partida. O Galo chegou ao empate pouco depois do intervalo, com Paulinho aproveitando sobra dentro da área. Os donos da casa ainda marcaram com Vitor Jacaré para vencer o jogo, mas não foi suficiente para tirar a vaga do adversário.

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CRUZEIRO 3 x 1 TOMBENSE (3 x 1 no agregado)

Cruzeiro e Tombense voltaram a se enfrentar após o zero a zero da partida de ida, na última semana. Arthur gomes marcou o primeiro da Raposa logo no primeiro tempo, após linda assistência de Matheus Pereira. Já na segunda etapa, a defesa do Gavião Carcará se atrapalhou e Zé Victor jogou contra o próprio gol e ampliou para os mandantes. Dez minutos depois, o zagueiro compensou a lambança e balançou as redes, dessa vez a favor. Já nos acréscimos, Matheus Pereira deixou o dele para consagrar ótima atuação e dar números finais ao duelo.

Agora, Atlético-MG e Cruzeiro se enfrentam em duas partidas na grande decisão do Campeonato Mineiro, disputadas em 30 de abril e 6 de março. O jogo de ida será na Arena MRV, e a volta será no Mineirão, com mando da Raposa, que terminou a primeira fase com a melhor campanha da competição.

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Atlético-MGCampeonato MineiroCruzeiro

فيديو | مثير للجدل.. محسن بوريجة يسجل هدف الجيش الملكي الأول أمام الأهلي

تمكن فريق الجيش الملكي، من تسجيل الهدف الأول أمام الأهلي، في اللقاء الجاري الآن، ضمن بطولة دوري أبطال إفريقيا.

ويحل الأهلي ضيفًا على الجيش الملكي في المغرب، ضمن مواجهات الجولة الثانية من دور المجموعات لبطولة دوري أبطال إفريقيا، اليوم، الجمعة.

طالع.. تشكيل الأهلي أمام الجيش الملكي في دوري أبطال إفريقيا.. زيزو وتريزيجيه أساسيان

وجاء الهدف في الدقيقة 37 من عمر المباراة عن طريق محسن بوريجة بعدما ارتدت الكرة له عقب ركلة جزاء سددها محمد حريمات وتصدى لها مصطفى شوبير.

وشهدت ركلة الجزاء اعتراضات قوية من جانب لاعبي الأهلي حيث ارتطمت الكرة في يد أليو ديانج والتي كانت في وضعها الطبيعي.

ويتواجد الأهلي في المجموعة الثانية من دوري أبطال إفريقيا، مع الجيش الملكي وشبيبة القبائل الجزائري ويانج أفريكانز التنزاني.

وكان الأهلي حقق الفوز في لقاء الجولة الأولى على شبيبة القبائل الجزائري، بنتيجة 4-1، في اللقاء الذي أقيم بالقاهرة يوم السبت الماضي.

بينما الجيش الملكي كان قد خسر في مباراة الجولة الأولى أمام يانج أفريكانز التنزاني بهدف دون رد. هدف الجيش الملكي الأول أمام الأهلي

 

Stats – Jaiswal converts yet another ton into a 150-plus score

Stats highlights from India’s record stand between Jaiswal and Rahul in the second innings in Perth

Sampath Bandarupalli24-Nov-20241:35

Manjrekar: This is a turning point in Jaiswal’s career

201 Partnership runs between Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul, the highest opening stand for India in Tests in Australia. Kris Srikkanth and Sunil Gavaskar held the record previously with their 191-run partnership in Sydney in 1986.6 Opening pairs with a partnership of 200-plus runs in Tests against Australia in Australia, including Jaiswal and Rahul. The previous five such stands were all put up by England’s openers. The last of the previous five was in 1991, a 203-run stand between Graham Gooch and Mike Atherton at the Adelaide Oval.378 Number of balls batted out by the opening pair of Rahul and Jaiswal. It is the second-longest opening stand by a visiting pair in Australia since 1998 (from when complete data is available). Andrew Strauss and Alastair Cook batted out 398 balls in the second innings of the 2010 Brisbane Test for their 188-run stand.Related

  • The Kohli hundred that snuck up on everybody

  • Undercooked Australia lose the plot in Perth

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  • Rahul and Jaiswal show defence is (sometimes) the best form of defiance

  • Rana dedicates 'dream' debut: 'This one's for you, dad'

3 Opening stands of 200-plus runs for India in their second innings of a Test match, including Jaiswal-Rahul’s effort in Perth. Their previous two came against England – 213 by Gavaskar and Chetan Chauhan in 1979 at The Oval and 203 by Vijay Merchant and Mushtaq Ali in Manchester in 1936.4 Number of 150-plus scores for Jaiswal in Tests, the joint-second most by any batter before turning 23. Don Bradman tops the list with five such scores, while Javed Miandad and Graeme Smith also have four 150-plus scores before their 23rd birthday.2 Number of players who have converted each of their first four Test hundreds into 150-plus scores. Graeme Smith and Jaiswal are the two players on the list.Yashasvi Jaiswal walks off after making 161•Getty Images3 Indian batters with three or more 150-plus scores in a calendar year in Tests before Jaiswal in 2024. Sachin Tendulkar (in 2002 and 2004), Virender Sehwag (in 2004 and 2008) and Virat Kohli (in 2016 and 2017) are the other ones.3 Indian men with a century in their maiden Test in Australia, including Jaiswal. ML Jaisimha in 1968 and Sunil Gavaskar in 1977 scored hundreds in India’s second innings in Brisbane during their respective debuts on Australian soil.1 Rahul is the first Indian opener to be part of a century opening stand in Tests in Australia, England and South Africa. Rahul was previously part of a 126-run stand with Rohit Sharma at Lord’s in 2021 and added 117 runs with Mayank Agarwal in Centurion in 2021.7 Batters with a higher individual score than Jaiswal’s 161 in a Test match where they bagged a duck in the first innings. He is only the fourth Indian batter with a 150-plus score and a duck in a Test match.35 Sixes hit by Jaiswal in the 12 Tests he played so far in 2024, the most by any batter in a calendar year in the format. He bettered Brendon McCullum’s record, who hit 33 sixes in nine Tests in 2014.3 Previous instances of the opening partnership in the third innings of a men’s Test match being higher than the team totals in the first innings. The last such instance was by Shan Masood and Abid Ali, who had a 278-run opening stand against Sri Lanka in the 2019 Karachi Test after the first-innings totals of 191 and 271.England’s Graeme Fowler and Chris Tavaré added 223 against New Zealand in 1983 at The Oval, where the first two innings totals were 209 and 196, while Justin Langer and Matthew Hayden put on 242 against West Indies after both teams made 240 in their respective first innings at St John’s in 2003.

Man Utd hold discussions to sign "unique" teen sensation ahead of Real Madrid

Manchester United have now reportedly made contact to sign 18-year-old Salvador Blopa from Sporting CP in an attempt to jump ahead of Real Madrid in the race for his signature.

Those at Old Trafford have kept an eye on the transfer market ever since the summer window slammed shut and with things looking up on the pitch, they could be well-placed to welcome a number of upgrades in 2026.

Ruben Amorim’s side entered the November international break without a defeat in five games, having drawn twice and won three to move up to seventh in the Premier League.

Whilst their wait for five wins in a row is ongoing, there’s no doubt that the Red Devils have taken a significant step. Whether that continues after the international break is the big question.

Man United will play host to Everton in what should be seen as a winnable game at Old Trafford against former manager David Moyes. They then face struggling sides West Ham United and Wolverhampton Wanderers in two of their next five games in a run that should see them push on even further.

Amorim’s not getting ahead of himself, however. After rescuing a late draw against Tottenham last time out, he told reporters that his side still have plenty of problems to solve.

It’s a sign of the high standards that the Man United boss holds and INEOS could yet help him to meet those standards by turning to the transfer market once again in 2026.

Man Utd have 'held conversations' to sign Blopa

As relayed by TeamTalk, Man United have now ‘held conversations’ to sign Blopa from Sporting CP and jump ahead of Real Madrid in the transfer race in the process. The 18-year-old can play right midfield, right-back and left midfield as one of the most versatile players that Sporting have to offer.

Out of all those positions, he’d likely solve Amorim’s right wing-back problem. As things stand, it’s Amad Diallo or Noussair Mazraoui in the role, but Blopa’s emergence could quickly cause United a much-welcomed selection headache down that side.

£150,000-a-week La Liga star who Amorim wants is now open to Man Utd move

The Man Utd boss has given the green light.

ByCharlie Smith Nov 15, 2025

The interest from Real Madrid and those at Old Trafford in Blopa should also come as little surprise. The teenager scored twice on his Sporting debut and earned praise from current manager Rui Borges, who told reporters: “Tactically he gave us what we wanted.

“In the B team he sometimes plays on the right and other times on the left, sometimes higher and sometimes lower. He’s a kid with very unique characteristics, athletic, and physically he’s going to grow immensely more.”

The Red Devils have built a reputation of turning Sporting’s stars into world stars and the versatile defender could be next.

Now worth more than Anderson: Man Utd star is the "nearest thing" to Zidane

Liam Cooper on red alert to transfer possibility as Sheffield Wednesday hold talks

As takeover talks continue, Sheffield Wednesday could reportedly get the chance to sign former Leeds United star Liam Cooper after holding fresh talks with the EFL.

Things are looking up for the Owls. Even as Norwich City rescued a point, there was a greater sense of positivity at Hillsborough than there has been in recent months. With controversial owner Dejphon Chansiri gone, they’ve been able to look towards a future which could involve an owner who has the club’s interests at heart.

BBC reporter shares latest £50m step that 3 Sheffield Wednesday candidates have just taken

Things are looking up for the Owls.

ByTom Cunningham Oct 31, 2025

To that end, the likes of John McEvoy and other unnamed American parties have been mentioned as potential options in the last two weeks, with the amount of interest in the club coming as a positive surprise for co-administrator Kris Wigfield. In a statement, the Begbies managing partner praised fans for their support since arriving.

There could also be more positive steps to come. Wigfield told reporters that the administrators are in talks with the EFL over an alleviation of recruitment restrictions, which would allow the Owls to welcome some much-needed reinforcements.

Given that they currently sit on -4 points and with an impossible task ahead of them if they want to survive, any chance to recruit would be welcomed by everyone at Sheffield Wednesday. It could even open the door for a former Leeds star.

Sheffield Wednesday eyeing Liam Cooper move

According to The Star’s Alex Miller, Sheffield Wednesday are now eyeing a move to sign Liam Cooper after holding talks with the EFL in the hope of seeing their restrictions lifted. The former Leeds United defender has been out of a club since leaving CSKA Sofia in the summer, but could now get the chance to return to the Championship courtesy of the Owls.

It’s a move that he needs just as much as Sheffield Wednesday. At 34 years old, Cooper is not yet retired and could yet bow out back in English football. Having spent 10 years at Leeds in both the Championship and the Premier League, his experience would prove vital to the Owls whether they’re in the second tier or in League One next season.

After he played his final game for Leeds, manager Daniel Farke was full of praise for Cooper – telling reporters: “It was a pleasure and a privilege to be allowed to be his manager for the last 12 months.

“I’ve also played several times against him, also in his prime. So what can I say? A fantastic footballer, a fantastic human being, an unbelievable person. He’s a real club legend.”

John Textor makes Sheffield Wednesday contact

Noor, Mujeeb handed demerit point for code-of-conduct breach

Afghanistan spinners Noor Ahmad and Mujeeb Ur Rahman have been handed a demerit point each for breaching Level 1 of the ICC code of conduct during the Asia Cup match against Sri Lanka in Abu Dhabi on Thursday.Noor was found to have breached Article 2.8 which indicated “showing dissent at an umpire’s decision during an international match” while Mujeeb was charged with breaching Article 2.2, which relates to “abuse of cricket equipment or clothing, ground equipment or fixtures and fittings during an international match.”Mujeeb had broken the stumps with his towel during the match. Noor had shown dissent in the 16th over of Sri Lanka’s innings when the umpire adjudged one of his deliveries to be a wide.On-field umpires Asif Yaqoob and Virender Sharma, third umpire Faisal Afridi and fourth umpire Rohan Pandit levelled the charge. Both players admitted to their offences and accepted the sanctions proposed by match referee Richie Richardson, so there was no need for formal hearings.Afghanistan’s Asia Cup campaign came to an end after they lost to Sri Lanka by six wickets. Both Noor and Mujeeb picked up a wicket each in the game.

Kamindu and Nissanka salvage a victory for Sri Lanka

The visitors had collapsed from 96 for 0 to 125 for 5 in a chase of 175 in Harare

Andrew Fidel Fernando03-Sep-2025Kamindu Mendis’ 41 not out off 16 from No. 6 rescued Sri Lanka from a collapse, and catapulted them to victory in a game that seemed to be slipping away. Sri Lanka needed 46 runs off the last four overs, having slipped from 96 for no loss to 125 for 5.But Kamindu crashed four sixes and a four, the vast majority of those shots coming behind square on the leg side as Zimbabwe’s seamers got their lines wrong at the death. In the end, Sri Lanka cruised home with five balls remaining and four wickets in hand.Higher up the order, Pathum Nissanka struck his third half century of the tour to set the platform for this chase of 176. It was a competitive total given the conditions, with Brian Bennett’s 81 off 57 balls being the primary driver of Zimbabwe’s score.Aside from Richard Ngarava, who took 2 for 19, Zimbabwe’s seamers were expensive.ESPNcricinfo LtdTinotenda Maposa’s horror overWith three overs to go and Sri Lanka still needing 34, Zimbabwe needed a quiet over from Tinotenda Maposa, who had bowled well until that stage. Kamindu manufactured a boundary off a wide yorker by reverse-scooping him for four first ball. Then came the horror deliveries. The next one was a chest-high full toss at the body which Kamindu swatted over the deep fine boundary. Maposa followed up that no-ball with a leg-side wide, and finished the over with another leg-side full toss that Kamindu happily deposited over the deep square leg rope. That 18th over cost Zimbabwe 26 runs, and essentially decided the match.Sri Lanka’s middle-overs wobbleFollowing Nissanka’s outstanding 55 off 32 in which he was typically strong square of the wicket, Sri Lanka went through a period in which they lost six wickets for 46 runs in seven overs, with several Zimbabwe bowlers striking through this spell. The opening stand of 96 had come rapidly however – Kusal Mendis and Nissanka having scored at more than nine an over. This gave Sri Lanka some cover to weather the collapse.Bennett holds Zimbabwe togetherAlthough his innings began with some lucky edges through deep third, Bennett powered Zimbabwe through an impressive powerplay in which they reaped 59 – Bennett contributing 32 off 17. The deep third area would continue to be productive for Bennett, who used the seamers’ pace well. He also reverse-swept the spinners behind square on the offside. He was involved in fifty partnerships with Sikandar Raza and Ryan Burl, before Dushmantha Chameera took out Bennett’s stumps with the last ball of the 19th over.Chameera takes threeThe best of Sri Lanka’s bowlers was Chameera, who finished with figures of 3 for 30. He was effective both in the powerplay and the death, taking the first wicket, before later sending down a series of excellent yorkers. He was good at reading the batters too – twice batters attempted to spring to the offside to drag him to leg, but found that Chameera had sent a rapid yorker at the base of their stumps and rattled them.

Sir Alex Ferguson hails 'outstanding' Man Utd summer signing and offers encouraging message of support for Ruben Amorim after positive start to campaign

Legendary former Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson heaped praise on new Manchester United signing Senne Lammens as he also shared valuable advice for manager Ruben Amorim, amid the club's unbeaten run in the Premier League. After a difficult start to the 2025-26 campaign, the Red Devils have endured a brilliant unbeaten run, including a three-game winning streak, since October.

Man Utd chose to sign Lammens over Emi Martinez

After a disastrous 2024-25 campaign, doubts were raised over Andre Onana's future at Old Trafford. In the summer, United were tipped to replace the underperforming Cameroonian goalkeeper with a new signing, as they were strongly linked with a move for World Cup-winning Argentine custodian and Aston Villa star Emiliano Martinez.

Following Altay Bayındır's poor start in the new season and Onana leaving for Trabzonspor in Turkey on loan, a new goalkeeper's arrival was imminent. The club eventually signed young Belgian custodian Lammens from Royal Antwerp on deadline day as they snubbed Emi Martinez. 

Since moving to England, Lammens has appeared in five Premier League games thus far, during which he has conceded seven times. He played an important role in Amorim's side winning three back-to-back matches in October against Sunderland, Liverpool, Brighton and has also been compared to legendary Red Devils goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel, although the youngster dismissed any such comparisons. 

AdvertisementGetty Images SportFerguson hailed Lammens

Ex-Red Devils boss Ferguson spoke highly of the Belgian goalkeeper as he told : "There are signs, the manager has had some good signs. Particularly the goalkeeper has been outstanding, he’s only played three or four games and he’s looking really good. Of course, Mbeumo and Cunha, the new players from Wolves and Brentford, they’ve added to it. I hope the manager gets a bit of success because at United you need to have success – the signs are getting better. I think back-to-back wins is something teams like United should always expect. But having gone through a cycle where the improvement has to come by waiting and being patient, they’ll enjoy it now."

Lammens isn't worried despite Onana's misfortune

Goalkeepers have had to face severe criticism at Old Trafford in recent years, including David De Gea, towards the end of his journey with the club. Then came Onana from Inter but he failed miserably. However, Lammens is not worried about the pressure as he told reporters: "There's been a lot of commotion about the goalkeepers in recent years. They've received a lot of negative comments. I wasn't worried about that. I want to be someone people look up to. My dream is to play here for the next ten years, be important to the club, and build a legacy. That's a long-term goal. 

"It hasn’t taken long for the Stretford End to fall in love with him. Many fans are hailing him as the next Schmeichel, but the keeper has his feet firmly rooted to the ground. "It was wonderful to hear the supporters sing that to me. A huge compliment, especially after my first match. But I'm not getting too carried away with their enthusiasm. I still have a lot to prove to be mentioned in the same breath as Peter Schmeichel, you know."

Lammens added: "I ran into him (Schmeichel) on the sidelines after a match. He was very friendly. Schmeichel knows it's not easy to be compared to him. He told me to be there for the team, but above all, to be myself. It was nice to hear that from someone you look up to. It also reassured me in a way."

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Getty ImagesMan Utd aim to get back to winning ways

After three consecutive wins in the Premier League in October, Amorim's side were held to back-to-back 2-2 draws by Nottingham Forest and Tottenham. They will now aim to get back to winning ways after the international break as they take on Everton on November 24. 

Auto-rickshaw driver's son Vignesh latest entrant to MI's talent club

He’s doing a Master’s in English while also making headlines for Mumbai Indians

Nagraj Gollapudi28-Mar-20251:26

‘A breath of fresh air’ – Varun Aaron on Vignesh Puthur

Sunil Puthur did not go to work between Monday and Wednesday this week. His wife, Bindu, and he had to stay at home in Perinthalmanna, a town in Malappuram district in north-central Kerala – state and local media had been parked outside their house ever since their only son, Vignesh Puthur, made an impactful IPL 2025 debut, picking up three wickets in his first match for Mumbai Indians (MI) against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) last Sunday.”The local media in Kerala swamped the house from as early as 7am until evening,” Sunil tells ESPNcricinfo over the phone on Wednesday. While it’s common for families of cricketers to turn the watching experience into an event for the community, especially when the player is little-known, Sunil and Bindu opted to watch Vignesh’s debut at home by themselves. But the next morning, they were happy to share their feelings about it in interviews to the media, their eyes welling up on more than one occasion.Part of that emotion has to do with the sacrifices the family has made to ensure Vignesh got all the support he needed to grow in cricket.Related

  • MI sign legspinner Raghu Sharma as replacement for injured Vignesh Puthur

  • 'Everyone will see beyond what happened last year' – Jayawardene backs returning Hardik

  • No T20 experience no problem for MI's Vignesh Puthur

About a decade ago, Sunil gave up running an agency for a popular biscuit brand in order to drive an auto-rickshaw, largely to ferry Vignesh to his cricket training.”He is my only son, and I wanted to support him to the best of my ability,” Sunil says. “The only thing I wanted to do was to ensure I supported his decision to pursue cricket.”

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When Vignesh was ten, one of his friends took him to the Perinthalmanna Cricket Academy, run by CG Vijayakumar, who took up coaching at the behest of his mentor, Vasoo Paranjape, the famed Mumbai-based coach. Vijayakumar saw that Vignesh was a fast learner.”His movements were just natural in everything he did,” says Vijayakumar, who continues to stay in touch with Vignesh. “In the first few months, I could see his rubbery wrists. In six months, his loading, follow-through, and the way he imparted spin [on the ball] already made him a good unit. In a year, he had started to bowl a googly, too, slowly.”By the time he was 14, Vignesh joined the Kerala Cricket Association academy, where he went up the ranks before playing for the state in the Under-14 and U-19 categories, and later for the Kerala U-23 team in invitational tournaments. While he is yet to play for Kerala in domestic cricket, a pathway opened up for Vignesh when MI called him for IPL trials last year after he was spotted by former India fast bowler TA Sekar, who was scouting for the franchise in Thiruvananthapuram.

“He had a very good action. He was flighting the ball well, and spinning both ways. I always go for a good technique and [see] if a bowler has variations. I observed both of those before recommending him for trials”TA Sekar on his first impression of Vignesh Puthur

Vignesh had not been on Sekar’s list of players to watch out for, but his trained eye, from his years working as a bowling coach, national selector, and team director, picked up the quality of Puthur’s action.At the trials, held before the mega IPL auction in November, Vignesh impressed the MI leadership group, and when the franchise bought him uncontested for INR 30 lakh, there was understandable joy in the Puthur household.Left-arm wristspin is a rare art and remains a bit of a mystery to batters. Kuldeep Yadav’s success in the IPL and for India is evidence that such a skillset can win you matches. In 2023, MI had picked another left-arm wristspinner, Raghav Goyal from Haryana, but he only played one match.”He had a very good action,” Sekar says about Vignesh. “He was flighting the ball well, and spinning both ways. I always go for a good technique and [see] if a bowler has variations. I observed both of those factors during the two matches I saw Vignesh in before recommending him for trials.”At the trials, Vignesh bowled with a bit more zip, was accurate, and showed he had a good googly, too.MI sent Vignesh, who turned 24 earlier this month, to South Africa earlier this year to hone his skills by bowling in the nets to the MI Cape Town batters in the SA20 league. Before IPL 2025, Vignesh also played in the DY Patil T20 Invitations Trophy in Navi Mumbai, where the domestic Indian players in the MI ranks usually feature. That experience might have come in handy on his IPL debut.Vignesh Puthur is mobbed by his Mumbai Indians team-mates after taking a wicket•AFP/Getty ImagesMI lost the match, but Vignesh’s three-wicket haul, with the scalps of CSK captain Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shivam Dube and Deepak Hooda – all of them internationals – impressed everyone and earned him a pat on the shoulder from MS Dhoni after the game.The big positive for Vignesh, who is simultaneously pursuing his MA in English, was that he did not seem overwhelmed by the occasion at any stage, and was confident about what he was doing in front a packed Chepauk.Sekar saw that as well. “In his first big match, in front a really big crowd, he held his own and was deceiving batters in the air.”Dube’s wicket was a classic example. CSK retained the left-hand batter specifically for his ability to demolish spin, but Vignesh lured Dube out with his flight and then the dip did not allow the batter the space to create power and he was caught on the straight boundary.

****

Vignesh’s parents as well as Vijayakumar say that he is a quiet person who likes his own company more than anyone else’s. Bindu, in a chat with PTI this week, said that her son was emotional in the hours leading up to his debut. “He called us around midnight after the match and then again he called after an hour. He was so happy. I have never seen him so happy. We also could not sleep because of our happiness.”Sunil hopes that Vignesh can continue his schooling in cricket at MI. “MI are a good team. We want Vignesh to keep moving forward at the franchise.”

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