Mumbai Indians (MI) are set to face Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) match number 44 set for tonight at MA Chidambaram Stadium. MI, who have had a forgettable IPL 2026 campaign so far, will be looking to turn their fate around, where they have to win every game moving forward to keep their playoff hopes alive.
For CSK's encounter, MI gave a chance to a fresh face in the form of Raghu Sharma, who will be making his IPL debut. Now the question emerges, who Raghu Sharma is. Read on to know more about him.
Who is MI's debutant, Raghu Sharma
Raghu is a 33-year-old right-handed leg spinner born on March 11, 1993, in Jalandhar, Punjab. Sharma was brought in by MI as a replacement for an injured Vignesh Puthur in 2025. Although he didn't get a chance to play for MI last season, he is all set to get the taste of IPL on such a crucial stage.
Interestingly, Sharma started his cricketing career as a fast bowler, but to find his way into the Punjab squad, he transitioned to spin bowling.
His cricketing career
In a short T20 career spanning four matches, Sharma has picked up four wickets at an average of 28 while maintaining an economy rate of 8.
In first-class cricket, Raghu has claimed 57 wickets in 12 matches at an impressive average of 22.03, with an economy of 3.27. In List A cricket, he has taken 18 wickets in 12 games, averaging 27.5 with an economy rate of 5.22.