At 33, Raghu Sharma Makes IPL Debut for Mumbai Indians Against CSK After Long Journey

Key facts

• Raghu Sharma, 33, made his IPL debut for Mumbai Indians on May 2, 2026, against Chennai Super Kings at MA Chidambaram Stadium.
• He was bought at the IPL 2026 auction for a base price of ₹30 lakh after only four T20 matches with four wickets.
• Sharma has 57 wickets in 12 first-class matches, including five five-wicket hauls and three ten-wicket hauls.
• He took 14 wickets in eight matches during the 2024–25 Vijay Hazare Trophy.
• Mumbai Indians signed him as a mid-season replacement for injured Vignesh Puthur in 2025; he was earlier a net bowler for the franchise.
• MI won the toss and elected to bat first; the team is ninth in the table with four points from eight matches.
• CSK defeated MI by 103 runs in their earlier meeting this season.

A Debut Under Pressure at Chepauk

Mumbai Indians captain Hardik Pandya handed leg-spinner Raghu Sharma his maiden IPL cap ahead of a crucial match against Chennai Super Kings at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Saturday. The 33-year-old, born in Jalandhar, Punjab, became the latest debutant for the five-time champions as they fought to keep their playoff hopes alive. Pandya won the toss and opted to bat first, a decision that reflected the urgency of a team languishing ninth in the table with just two wins from eight matches. MI’s net run rate of -0.784 underscored their struggles, and the side was desperate to reverse a 103-run defeat inflicted by CSK in their earlier encounter at the Wankhede Stadium.

From Electrical Engineering to the IPL

Sharma’s path to the IPL was anything but conventional. He started playing cricket only after turning 18, inspired by India’s ODI World Cup victory in 2011. Originally slated to study electrical engineering, he instead pursued a cricketing career that took him to England and Galle, Sri Lanka. In a recent interview, Sharma revealed that he once weighed 102 kilograms and worked hard to lose the weight. He also described himself as an avid fan of the late Shane Warne, saying he still watches videos of the Australian leg-spinner before every match.

A Late Bloomer in Domestic Cricket

Sharma made his first-class debut in the 2017–18 Ranji Trophy season, representing Punjab and later Puducherry. In red-ball cricket, he has taken 57 wickets in 12 matches, including five five-wicket hauls and three ten-wicket hauls. His limited-overs breakthrough came during the 2024–25 Vijay Hazare Trophy, where he claimed 14 wickets in eight matches. Despite his first-class debut in 2017, he had to wait until 2021 for his 50-over and T20 debuts. In four T20 matches, he has taken four wickets at an economy rate of eight. His IPL journey began when Mumbai Indians signed him as a mid-season replacement for the injured Vignesh Puthur in 2025, after he had served as a net bowler for the franchise.

A Gamble on Potential at the Auction

At the IPL 2026 auction, Sharma was bought for a base price of ₹30 lakh, a modest investment based on limited T20 experience. The franchise’s decision reflected long-term faith in his abilities, having retained him after the previous season. Alongside Sharma’s debut, MI made one more change, bringing in Krish Bhagat for Ashwani Kumar. Sharma was named in the Impact Player list, indicating the team’s tactical flexibility.

Playoff Hopes Hinge on a Turnaround

Both Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings entered the match in dire need of a win to keep their playoff qualification alive. For MI, the path to the postseason required a dramatic reversal of form after a season marred by inconsistency. The 103-run loss to CSK earlier in the tournament added an element of revenge to the fixture. Sharma’s debut came at a moment when the franchise was searching for a spark. Whether his leg-spin could trouble CSK on a Chepauk pitch known for assisting spinners remained an open question as the match unfolded.

A Test of Resilience for the Veteran Rookie

At 33, Sharma is older than most IPL debutants, but his journey underscores the value of persistence in a league that often favours youth. His late start in cricket, weight loss transformation, and steady rise through domestic ranks offer a counter-narrative to the typical fast-tracked careers. The coming matches will reveal whether his first-class pedigree can translate into impact in the T20 format, and whether MI’s gamble pays off in a season hanging by a thread.

The bottom line

• Raghu Sharma made his IPL debut at age 33 for Mumbai Indians against CSK, receiving his cap from Hardik Pandya.
• He started cricket after turning 18, inspired by India’s 2011 World Cup win, and once weighed 102 kg before losing weight.
• Sharma has 57 first-class wickets in 12 matches, including five five-wicket hauls, and 14 wickets in eight Vijay Hazare Trophy matches.
• He was bought at the IPL 2026 auction for ₹30 lakh, having previously been a net bowler and mid-season replacement for MI.
• MI is ninth in the points table with four points from eight matches, needing a turnaround to reach the playoffs.
• CSK defeated MI by 103 runs in their earlier meeting, adding pressure on MI to reverse the result.