Punjab cricketer Raghu Sharma found himself in the spotlight during the high-profile IPL clash Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings on May 2 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium. While he did not start in the XI, MI captain Hardik Pandya confirmed at the toss that the 33-year-old leg-spinner will feature as an impact player in the second innings. Earlier, Sharma was awarded his first IPL cap, marking a significant moment in his long domestic journey. Mumbai Indians made another change to their line-up, replacing Ashwini Kumar with Krish Bhagat. Having struggled this season with just two wins from eight matches, MI entered the competition sitting ninth on the table with four points and a net run rate of -0.784. The fixture also provided more motivation, with MI looking to respond to a heavy 103-run defeat against CSK earlier in the tournament. Sharma’s rise is built on persistence. The Jalandhar-born league-break bowler has represented Punjab and Puducherry in domestic cricket. Since his first-class debut in the 2017–18 Ranji Trophy, he has taken 57 wickets in 12 matches, including five five-wicket hauls and three ten-wicket hauls. He further impressed in the 2024–25 Vijay Hazare Trophy with 14 wickets in eight matches. In T20s, he has taken four wickets in four games at an economy rate of eight since his debut in 2021. His association with MI began as a net bowler before being signed as a mid-season replacement in 2025, with the franchise retaining him as part of their long-term plans. On the toss Hardik Pandya Opted to bat first. For CSK, Rituraj Gaikwad Made two changes, adding Ramakrishna Ghosh for Gurjapaneet Singh and Prashant Vir for Akil Hussain.
