Raj Bawa

Born into a family with a rich sporting legacy, Raj Bawa seemed destined for success. His grandfather, Tarlochan Singh Bawa, was part of India’s Olympic gold-winning hockey team, while his father, Sukhwinder Singh Bawa, is a respected coach known for mentoring stars like Yuvraj Singh. Growing up in such an environment, Bawa naturally gravitated towards cricket and honed his skills under his father’s guidance. So strong was his admiration for Yuvraj that he switched from being a natural right-hander to a left-handed batter, trying to emulate his idol.

Bawa impressed in age-group cricket as a genuine all-rounder, which earned him a place in India’s squad for the ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup 2022. While his contributions with the bat were limited to handy cameos, it was his bowling that stood out. He picked up nine wickets in the tournament, including a memorable five-wicket haul in the final, for which he was named Player of the Match, playing a key role in India’s title-winning campaign.

Following his U19 heroics, Bawa was picked up by Punjab Kings in the IPL, but opportunities were scarce. He featured in only a handful of games and couldn’t make a significant impact, finishing his stint with limited returns. Overall, he has played just five IPL matches so far, struggling to cement his place or deliver consistent performances, which eventually led to his release after the 2022 season.

After a gap of two seasons, Bawa returned to the league with Mumbai Indians in 2025. However, his IPL career so far remains in the early stages, with minimal contributions in both batting and bowling and no defining performances yet at the senior level.

Expectations from Bawa will revolve around finally translating his U19 promise into consistent senior-level performances. As a seam-bowling all-rounder, he offers valuable balance to the side, and Mumbai Indians will likely look at him as a backup or rotational player who can contribute with both bat and ball. For Bawa, the key will be making the most of limited opportunities - showing discipline with the ball, providing handy lower-order runs, and proving he can handle pressure at the highest level. If he can deliver impactful performances in short bursts, IPL 2026 could be the season where he begins to establish himself as a dependable all-round option rather than just a promising talent.