Scorecards can decieve anyone. They don’t reveal the truth always. Mumbai Indians (MI) kept their season alive at the Wankhede with a high-scoring win over Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), riding on Rohit Sharma’s return and a strong batting effort from Ryan Rickelton. But the moment that truly stayed back came in the 13th over of LSG’s innings, when Raghu Sharma completed a simple return catch and then reached into his pocket.
What did Raghu Sharma say with his note?
Out came a small piece of paper. No wild celebration, no roar. Just a message he held up towards the dressing room and the cameras. 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.”
Abhishek Sharma made the paper note famous when he pulled off a similar celebration after hammering a superb century in IPL 2025. In his note, he wrote, “This one is for the Orange Army (SRH).” Now, Raghu’s chance but the 33-year-old chose to thank God and his franchise to end his 15 years of toil.
The value of 1/36 on a 229 night
Raghu’s figures read 1 for 36 in four overs. In isolation, that is decent. In context, it was superb. On a night where Mumbai were chasing 229 and bowlers were taken apart, he went at an economy of 9.0. The rest of the MI attack leaked runs at a combined rate of 12. That difference kept MI in the game.
His wicket was Akshat Raghuwanshi, another debutant, caught and bowled for 11. Raghu is not a typical IPL story. He did not come through under-19 circuits or fast-track systems. Raghu only began taking cricket seriously after turning 18. He started as a fast bowler, but a hamstring injury forced a change.
“I started legspin by watching his videos… I would watch it again and again, and try it out in the nets,” he had said earlier to ESPNcricinfo, referring to Shane Warne.
The setbacks were constant for Raghu. He moved across teams, across countries, across levels. There were stints in Punjab, Puducherry, Sri Lanka grade cricket, and club cricket in England, where Imran Tahir helped him refine his craft. There were failed fitness tests, selection snubs, and a phase where he stepped away from the game entirely.
And yet, he kept coming back. Interestingly, Mumbai Indians were part of both ends of that journey. He had once failed trials here. Years later, the same franchise handed him his debut. “I had to wait eight years but I came back to the same franchise… this time I came as a transformed person.”
In first-class cricket, he has 57 wickets in 12 matches at an average of 22.03, including five five-wicket hauls and three 10-wicket match performances. In List A cricket, he has 18 wickets in 12 games at 27.50. This was only his second IPL game. His first had gone quietly, 0 for 24. This one gave him a moment he had waited 15 years for.
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