Raj Bawa Debuts as Mumbai Indians Face Lucknow Super Giants in IPL 2025

CHENNAI, India — Raj Bawa made his IPL debut with the Mumbai Indians on April 4, 2025, as they faced the Lucknow Super Giants at Ekana Cricket Stadium. Bawa, who replaced injured captain Rohit Sharma, has garnered attention after his impressive showing with the Indian Under-19 team, where he played a critical role in their World Cup victory in 2022.

The 22-year-old all-rounder was a standout player for India, taking a five-wicket haul in the final against England, earning him the Player of the Match award. “It’s a dream come true to play in the IPL, especially with a prestigious franchise like Mumbai Indians,” said Bawa before the match.

Bawa’s cricket journey includes 11 First-Class and List A matches, where he has achieved a First-Class century and claimed multiple wickets. His previous IPL experience includes two matches with Punjab Kings in 2022. Despite not playing in the following season, he caught the eye of Mumbai’s management, who signed him at the IPL 2025 auction for INR 30 lakh.

Sharma, who has been under scrutiny for his recent performance with an average of just 7.00 in three matches, was sidelined due to a knee injury sustained during practice. Captain Hardik Pandya confirmed Sharma’s absence during the pre-match toss, stating, “Rohit got hit in the knee in nets and he misses out.”

The Mumbai Indians aim to bounce back after a challenging start to the tournament, with two losses against CSK and GT before securing a significant win against KKR. With Bawa making his debut and Will Jacks also coming into the lineup, the franchise is looking to stabilize their position in the league.

The Mumbai Indians lineup for the match included Will Jacks, Ryan Rickelton (wk), Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya (c), Naman Dhir, Raj Bawa, Mitchell Santner, Deepak Chahar, Ashwani Kumar, Vignesh Puthur, and Trent Boult.