Mumbai Indians head coach Mahela Jayawardene heaped praise on 33-year-old spinner Raghu Sharma after the bowler grabbed his first wicket in the Indian Premier League. Jayawardene underlined Raghu’s climb from last season’s role as a net bowler to earning a place in the playing XI and delivering on the biggest stage.
Quick facts
- Raghu Sharma took his maiden IPL wicket in MI’s six-wicket win over Lucknow Super Giants.
- Match venue: Wankhede Stadium.
- MI chased 229, reaching the target in 18.4 overs.
- Key batting partnership: Rohit Sharma 84 and Ryan Rickelton 83 for a 143-run opening stand.
- LSG finished on 228/5, with Nicholas Pooran scoring 63 off 21 balls.
- Raghu’s bowling figures: 4-0-36-1.
- Raghu replaced Vignesh Puthur ahead of IPL 2025 but debuted in the season against CSK.
Raghu’s breakthrough arrived in the middle overs when Mumbai were successfully navigating a high-pressure chase. The hosts’ pursuit of 229 was ultimately sealed with plenty of control, and the win marked MI’s top-ever successful chase at the Wankhede Stadium.
The chase itself was set up by a dominant opening effort. Rohit Sharma struck 84 while Ryan Rickelton made 83, and together they forged a 143-run partnership to put Mumbai in command early, before the innings built momentum towards the target.
Jayawardene also detailed how Raghu’s progress has been driven by relentless effort rather than overnight luck. He recalled seeing the spinner push himself during a training spell in Sri Lanka, describing how the youngster’s work rate only increased when he felt he wasn’t bowling to his standards.
“You guys remember he was a net bowler last year, worked really hard, got into the squad, never stopped working hard. He came to Sri Lanka; some people don’t know he came for a 10-day camp. He wasn’t bowling well, so he worked even harder in Colombo in that hot sun,” Jayawardene said in a video shared by Mumbai Indians on X.
Maiden wicket turns the tide
In a game where runs piled up, Lucknow managed 228/5 after Nicholas Pooran produced an explosive 63 off 21 balls. Against that kind of batting surge, Raghu’s spell provided the crucial interruption, as he claimed his maiden IPL wicket by dismissing Akshat Raghuvanshi.
Raghu returned figures of 4-0-36-1, a composed line and length that helped slow the flow of runs during the Super Giants’ critical phase. The wicket and the control in the overs around it mattered as Mumbai stayed on track for the chase.
The former Sri Lanka captain went further, saying Raghu had set a clear goal for himself after earlier setbacks and had promised to come back stronger this season. Jayawardene framed Raghu’s wicket as evidence that the plan is now bearing fruit.
“And he promised one thing, he said, ‘I’ll be ready for this year’. So a lot of hard work, well deserved to be here, a strong mind and a big heart, well done,” Jayawardene added.
After taking his first IPL wicket, Raghu shared a brief, emotional celebration. He pulled out a chit from his pocket and held it up, describing the moment as the end of a long wait.
“A very painful 15 years. By the divine mercy of Gurudev ended today. Thanks, Mumbai Indians (Blue and Gold), for giving me this opportunity. Ever grateful,” Raghu’s note read.
Raghu’s IPL opportunity also had an earlier chapter. He was brought in as a replacement for Vignesh Puthur ahead of IPL 2025, though he did not get a chance to play a match that season. He finally made his debut on Saturday against Chennai Super Kings (CSK), but that appearance ended with him going wicketless.
