Raj Bawa

Raj Angad Bawa, born on November 12, 2002, in Nahan, Himachal Pradesh, is an Indian cricketer known for his all-round abilities as a left-handed batter and right-arm medium-fast bowler. He grew up in Chandigarh and comes from a family with a rich sporting legacy, being the grandson of Tarlochan Bawa, a member of India’s gold medal-winning hockey team at the 1948 London Olympics. Raj was coached by his father, Sukhwinder Bawa, who also trained cricketers like Yuvraj Singh. Inspired by Yuvraj, Raj switched to batting left-handed despite being a natural right-hander.

Raj gained prominence during the 2022 ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup, where he scored 252 runs and took nine wickets in six matches. His standout performances included an unbeaten 162 off 108 balls against Uganda, the highest individual score by an Indian at the U-19 World Cup, and a match-winning 5/31 against England in the final, earning him the Player of the Match award. He also represented India in the 2021 ACC Under-19 Asia Cup.

In February 2022, Raj made his first-class debut for Chandigarh in the Ranji Trophy, taking a wicket with his first delivery. Shortly after, he was bought by Punjab Kings in the IPL 2022 auction for ₹2 crore and made his T20 debut on March 27, 2022. Known for his aggressive batting and effective bowling, Raj continues to be a promising young talent in Indian cricket.