Mumbai Indians leg-spinner Raghu Sharma has quickly become one of the most inspiring stories of IPL 2026, but his journey began long before his maiden wicket. The young bowler revealed that watching MS Dhoni finish the 2011 World Cup final with that iconic six at the Wankhede Stadium was the moment that pushed him to take cricket seriously—despite battling obesity and constant self-doubt.
Speaking after claiming his first IPL wicket against Lucknow Super Giants, Raghu reflected on how ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 Final changed his life. Coming from a family of doctors and engineers in Jalandhar, cricket was never the obvious path. Like many around him, he initially pursued academics and became an electrical engineer.
“I am talking about around 2011. Everyone in my family was a doctor or an engineer, so I became an engineer too,” Raghu Sharma said. “But I weighed around 102 kilograms and wasn’t fit at all.”
ALSO READ: LSG Fans Urge Sanjiv Goenka To Replace Rishabh Pant With Rohit Sharma
That one moment—Dhoni’s match-winning six—sparked a shift. Raghu decided to commit himself fully to cricket, even though he was already 21, an age when most professional players have already come through the system. The challenges were immediate and real.
“Even my father told me that because of your obesity, you won’t be able to do it. Cricket is not for you,” he admitted. But Raghu stayed persistent. He transformed his fitness, focused intensely on leg-spin bowling, and built his game through sheer repetition and discipline. “For six days a week, I practiced only leg-spin. Even now, I bowl 10 overs every single day. That’s how your wrist starts working naturally,” he explained.
‘𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝗶𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝟭𝟱 𝗽𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗱’ 🥹
🎥 Do not miss this incredible story of an electrical engineer turned cricketer, who switched careers after India won the 2011 World Cup. From being 100+ kgs to bowling on beaches in Puri, the @mipaltan…
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) May 5, 2026
His perseverance finally paid off in IPL 2026. Raghu’s breakthrough moment came when he dismissed Akshat Raghuwanshi, outfoxing the batter with flight and drift before completing a return catch for his maiden wicket.
What followed made the moment even more memorable. Raghu pulled out a small note from his pocket that read, “Radhe-Radhe, Jai Shri Ram,” along with a message thanking the Mumbai Indians for the opportunity. It was a gesture that summed up his journey—rooted in belief, gratitude, and resilience.
ALSO READ: Ravichandran Ashwin Highlights DC Middle-Order Vulnerability Ahead of CSK Clash
The Mumbai Indians had first signed Raghu as a net bowler in 2025, then picked him up for ₹30 lakh and later retained him. He didn’t get a game initially, but the franchise’s faith never wavered. That patience has now started to pay off, with Raghu emerging as yet another example of how the IPL continues to unearth remarkable stories from unexpected places.
