NEW DELHI: It was a night of survival for Mumbai Indians at Wankhede Stadium in IPL 2026 against Lucknow Super Giants. With a vintage Rohit Sharma show and standout batter Ryan Rickelton, MI brushed aside LSG to keep their playoff hopes alive, albeit hanging by a thread. However, the highlight was not Rohit's roaring return from injury or Nicholas Pooran's blistering half-century after a lean patch. It was Raghu Sharma's emotional gesture.
The Emotional Celebration
Playing only his second IPL game, Sharma dismissed LSG debutant Akshat Raghuwanshi for 11. The celebration was not instinctive aggression but deliberate and deeply personal. After the wicket, Sharma held up a note, reminiscent of Dinesh Ramdin's 'Talk na Viv' message and Abhishek Sharma's similar IPL hundred celebration last season. Cameras zoomed in, with stand-in skipper Suryakumar Yadav trying to read it. The note read: '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 Shri Ram.'
15-Year Grind Behind One Wicket
Sharma was drafted into MI last season as an injury replacement for Vignesh Puthur and retained this season. He debuted against Chennai Super Kings, returning 0/24. His path was unconventional; he began serious cricket only after turning 18. Starting as a fast bowler, he switched to leg-spin after a hamstring injury, largely self-taught by watching Shane Warne videos. 'I started legspin by watching his videos… I would watch it again and again, and try it out in the nets,' he recalled.
At 25, he was told he was too old. He was dropped after a promising start for Punjab, and his move to Puducherry did not yield consistent opportunities. He played grade cricket in Sri Lanka and club cricket in England, where Imran Tahir helped him reshape his bowling. After failing fitness tests, he stepped away, reset mentally, and rebuilt physically. A strong domestic showing brought him back, and Mumbai Indians, where he once failed trials, gave him another shot. 'I had to wait eight years but I came back to the same franchise… this time I came as a transformed person,' he said.
Faith and Perseverance
Throughout the journey, Sharma found solace in faith. 'I feel God sees everything. If you are doing your work with discipline, you will definitely get the reward… I enjoyed even my failures,' he said. This explains why his note began with 'Radhe Radhe' and ended with 'Jai Shri Ram.' On paper, his figures read 1 for 36 in four overs, but in context, it was the end of a 15-year wait.
Career Statistics
In first-class cricket, Sharma has 57 wickets in 12 matches at an average of 22.03 and economy of 3.27, including five five-wicket hauls and three 10-wicket match performances. In List A, he has 18 wickets from 12 matches at an average of 27.50 and economy of 5.22. In T20s, he has taken 5 wickets in 6 matches, averaging 34.40 with an economy of 7.81.
