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Rahul Sharma (cricketer, born 1986)

Overview

Rahul Sharma is an Indian cricketer born in 1986. A right-arm leg-break bowler, he came to prominence in domestic Indian cricket and the Indian Premier League (IPL) before earning selection to the India national side in limited-overs formats.

Key facts

Full name Rahul Sharma
Born 1986
Nationality Indian
Role Bowler (leg-break)
Bowling style Right-arm leg-spin
Batting style Right-handed

Background

Sharma developed his cricket through age-group and domestic structures in India before being picked up in the franchise circuit. His tall stature and ability to extract bounce, combined with leg-spin, made him a notable variation among Indian wrist-spinners of his generation.

Career

Domestic cricket

Sharma represented Punjab in Indian domestic competitions, appearing in the Ranji Trophy and shorter-format tournaments organised by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

Indian Premier League

He featured in the Indian Premier League, where consistent performances as a leg-spinner brought him to wider attention. His IPL outings helped establish his reputation as a wicket-taking option in Twenty20 cricket.

International cricket

On the back of his domestic and franchise form, Sharma was selected for India in limited-overs cricket, playing One Day Internationals and Twenty20 Internationals.

Style and significance

Sharma is regarded as a leg-spinner who relied on flight, bounce and pace variation rather than sharp turn. He was part of a wider effort during the late 2000s and early 2010s to bring wrist-spin back into India's limited-overs setup.

References