Mumbai Indians introduced Raj Bawa in the IPL 2025 match against Lucknow Super Giants today (April 4) at the Ekana Stadium in Lucknow.
Bawa has made his debut for the Paltans, replacing Rohit Sharma, who is missing out due to a knee injury. The 22-year-old is expected to play a part in the batting in the match.
Who is Raj Bawa?
Raj Angad Bawa, born on November 12, 2002, in Nahan, Himachal Pradesh, is an emerging Indian cricketer known for his all-round abilities. He bats left-handed and bowls right-arm medium-fast. Raj comes from a sporting family.
His grandfather, Trilochan Singh Bawa, was a member of the Indian hockey team that won gold at the 1948 London Olympics.
Growing up in Chandigarh, Raj was inspired by Yuvraj Singh and decided to bat left-handed despite being a natural right-hander. His father, Sukhwinder Singh Bawa, a well-known cricket coach, played a significant role in shaping his early cricketing journey.
Raj Bawa shot to fame during the 2022 ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup. He made headlines by scoring an unbeaten 162 against Uganda-the highest individual score by an Indian in the tournament’s history. He followed that up with a match-winning performance in the final against England, taking a brilliant 5/31 to help India clinch the title. His all-round performance earned him the Player of the Match award in the final.
Following his heroics at the U-19 level, he made his first-class debut for Chandigarh in the 2021-22 Ranji Trophy, picking up a wicket with his very first delivery.
Raj Bawa was bought by the Punjab Kings for Rs 2 crore in the 2022 IPL auction. He made his IPL debut on March 27, 2022, against Royal Challengers Bangalore. However, he featured in just two matches that season, scoring 11 runs and not bowling in either game.
After being released by Punjab Kings, he was picked up by Mumbai Indians for Rs 30 lakh ahead of the 2025 IPL season, providing him with a fresh opportunity to showcase his skills on the biggest T20 stage.