‘Vignesh a born player’: Sharif on cloud nine after childhood friend’s sensational IPL debut
MALAPPURAM: The festival season of Ramadan has come early for Muhammed Sharif. As the news of his childhood friend Vignesh Puthur’s stunning IPL debut spread, he couldn’t hold back his pride.
“I have no doubt he will continue to conquer heights. he has a born player in him,” Sharif said, his voice filled with emotion.
Sharif and Vignesh, or Kannan, as he is fondly called, grew up together in the narrow lanes of Kunnappally in Perinthalmanna, where their biggest joy was a cricket match played on dusty streets.
“We were just children, playing near our houses and dreaming big. even back then, Kannan had magic in his fingers, ” h e recalled.
Sharif — now a khatib at the Darus Salam Mosque in Kuzhippuram, Kottakkal -- was the first to recognise his friend’s extraordinary bowling talent.
“I was training under coach P G Vijayakumar and saw how effortlessly he spun the ball with his left ring finger. he was better than all of us despite never having trained formally,” he said.
Determined to help his friend, Sharif convinced Vignesh’s parents and took him to the coaching camp.
“I spoke to his parents and took him to training. We practised together for a couple of years. Later, I chose a different path while he pursued the game with full dedication,” he recalled.
While Vignesh went on to play for the Kerala under-14 and under-16 teams, Sharif continued in the sport till the under-19 level before moving towards his religious calling. Despite their diverging paths, their bond remAained strong. When Vignesh was selected by Mumbai Indians, he immediately messaged Sharif.
“I knew he would shine, and then came Dhoni’s praise... it was a proud moment for me,” a beaming Sharif said.
Engaged in ten days of special prayers, Sharif couldn’t watch Vignesh’s IPL debut live but looks forward to celebrating the achievement after eid.
“This is just the beginning. he will go much further,” he said, confident that his childhood friend is destined for greatness.
The 24-year-old left-arm wrist spinner made an impressive debut for Mumbai Indians on March 23, against Chennai Super Kings at the M A Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. he returned remarkable bowling figures of 3 for 32, claiming the wickets of key batsmen Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shivam Dube, and Deepak hooda.
Interestingly, Vignesh began his cricketing journey as a medium pacer. Recognising his potential for spin, he transitioned to left-arm wrist spin, a rare and valuable skill in cricket.
Vignesh’s talent was first spotted during the inaugural Kerala Cricket League, where he represented the Alleppey Ripples last year. And his bowling caught the attention of Mumbai Indians’ scouts, leading to his selection as a net bowler for MI Cape Town in the SA20 league.