Mumbai Indians spinner Raghu Sharma celebrated his first wicket in the IPL with an emotional gesture that quickly spread across social media.
Playing just his second match in the competition, the leg-spinner produced a breakthrough by removing debutant Akshat Raghuwanshi. The dismissal came through guile rather than pace, with Raghu enticing the batter into a poorly timed shot that ballooned back towards him for a straightforward return catch.
What followed drew as much attention as the wicket itself. The spinner reached into his pocket and revealed a handwritten note and held it up while teammates gathered around. Stand-in captain Suryakumar Yadav was seen trying to read it, as MI shared the visual on social media.
““Radhe Radhe. A very painful 15 years, by divine mercy of Gurudeva, ended today. Thanks, Mumbai Indians (Blue and Gold), for giving me this opportunity. Ever grateful. Jai Sri Ram," Raghu’s note read.
Raghu Sharma’s journey to IPL
The message captured the long and often uncertain journey that brought him to this stage. Unlike many of his contemporaries, Raghu’s path to the IPL came later in his career, shaped by persistence in domestic cricket and a willingness to reinvent himself. The 33-year-old has been in the mix for years now, but failed to break into the IPL. In 2026, he was finally given a chance and Raghu has done reasonably well.
Against Lucknow, he delivered a steady performance with the ball, finishing his four overs with figures of 36 runs for one wicket. His control through the middle phase of the innings stood out, as he mixed speeds and lengths effectively to disrupt the rhythm of opposing batters. Even when Rishabh Pant and Aiden Markram attempted to increase the scoring rate, Raghu maintained discipline.
Meanwhile, his route to the IPL has been anything but conventional. Initially developing as a fast bowler, Raghu switched to leg-spin in a bid to create new opportunities within Punjab’s domestic structure. That decision proved pivotal in extending his career and eventually earning him a place in the MI setup.
He first linked up with the franchise as a replacement signing during the 2025 season, but did not feature in a match. However, he was retained for this year.
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