Raghu sharma makes his IPL debut

“Who was this late entrant?” asked a commentator during the match as Raghu Sharma made his IPL debut on May 2, 2026. The 33-year-old leg-spinner played for Mumbai Indians against Chennai Super Kings at MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.

Sharma received his maiden IPL cap from MI captain Hardik Pandya. His journey to this moment began unusually late at age 18, inspired by India’s 2011 World Cup triumph. He has represented Punjab and Puducherry in domestic cricket.

Sharma made his first-class debut in the 2017–18 Ranji Trophy season. In just 12 first-class matches, he took an impressive 57 wickets, including five five-wicket hauls and three ten-wicket hauls. He also excelled in the 2024–25 Vijay Hazare Trophy, where he secured 14 wickets in eight matches.

Since debuting in T20 cricket in 2021, Sharma has taken four wickets in four matches at an economy rate of eight. He was signed by Mumbai Indians as a mid-season replacement in 2025 after previously serving as a net bowler for the team.

Mumbai Indians struggled early in the IPL 2026 season, sitting ninth with only four points and a net run rate of -0.784 before the match. Earlier in the tournament, they suffered a heavy loss to CSK by 103 runs.

Sharma’s rise has been built on persistence. His breakthrough moment came when MI signed him as a mid-season replacement for the injured Vignesh Puthur. With this debut, he highlights the potential of late bloomers in cricket.