Raghu Sharma made his IPL debut on May 2, 2026 for Mumbai Indians against Chennai Super Kings. The 33-year-old leg-spinner received his maiden cap from MI captain Hardik Pandya.
Sharma hails from Punjab and began playing cricket at the age of 18. His inspiration came from India’s victory in the 2011 World Cup.
Before his IPL debut, Sharma represented Punjab and Puducherry in domestic cricket. He made his first-class debut during the 2017–18 Ranji Trophy season.
Key statistics:
- 57 wickets taken in 12 first-class matches
- Five five-wicket hauls and three ten-wicket hauls
- 14 wickets in eight matches during the 2024–25 Vijay Hazare Trophy
- Four wickets in four T20 matches since debuting in 2021
Sharma’s breakthrough moment came in 2025 when he signed with Mumbai Indians as a mid-season replacement for the injured Vignesh Puthur. He had previously worked with MI as a net bowler.
Mumbai Indians struggled early in the IPL 2026 season, sitting ninth with just four points and a net run rate of -0.784 before this match. They had previously suffered a significant loss to CSK by 103 runs.
As Raghu Sharma steps onto the field, fans are eager to see how this late bloomer will perform at the highest level of Indian cricket.
