Raghu Sharma did an emotional celebration after taking his first IPL wicket for Mumbai Indians in their match against Lucknow Super Giants on Monday, May 4 at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. In his second IPL match, Raghu opened his account by dismissing debutant Akshat Raghuwanshi.
The 33-year-old got Raghuwanshi with a smart volley that brought ill-timed pressure as the pad-and-bat deflection lobbed back for a simple catch and ball. Raghu then took out a note from his pocket and celebrated by showing it as his teammates gathered around him.
The note read: “A very painful 15 years. By God’s grace Gurudev ended today. Thanks to Mumbai Indians (Blue and Gold) for giving me this opportunity. I am ever grateful.”
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The report captured the essence of his long stint in domestic cricket and his late arrival on the IPL stage. Having made his debut late and spent years out of the limelight, the wicket symbolized the culmination of perseverance, faith and patience.
HOW RAGHU DID AGAINST LSG
Raghu Sharma produced a steady innings with the ball against the Super Giants and finished with figures of 4-0-36-1. The leg spinner struck early and dismissed Raghuwanshi. He mixed his pace and lengths effectively, troubling the batters with drift and subtle variations.
He held firm through the middle overs even as Rishabh Pant and Aiden Markram struggled to pick up the pace. While he was taken for a couple of sixes, Raghu showed composure, maintained control and forced the batsmen to take risks. His spell reflected both promise and discipline, marking a definite step forward in his IPL journey.
RAGHU SHARMA’S CAREER IN BRIEF
Raghu has endured his share of struggles over the yearswho has played only 30 matches in first-class List A and T20 cricket since his debut in 2017. Born in Jalandhar, the netballer represented Punjab and Puducherry and made his first-class debut in the 2017–18 Ranji Trophy. He impressed in red-ball cricket, picking up 57 wickets in 12 matches, including several five-wicket hauls and a ten-wicket haul.
In the limited overs formats, he gained attention during the 2024-25 Vijay Hazare Trophy when he took 14 wickets in eight matches. His breakthrough came in 2025 when the Mumbai Indians signed him as a mid-season replacement. Sharma, who previously served as a bowler for the franchise, has seen steady progress and exposure in top-level cricket earn him recognition and a permanent role in the set-up.
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Issued by:
sabyasachi chowdhury
Published on:
04 May 2026 22:17 IST
