Hailing from Punjab, Rahul Sharma made his first class-debut in 2006 against Rajasthan. However, he had to wait three more years to represent Punjab again in Ranji Trophy cricket. Sharma, a leg-spinner, is known for the extra bounce he extracts off the pitch because of his height. He bowls wicket to wicket, although he does not turn the ball much. He made his IPL debut with the Deccan Chargers in 2010 after recovering from Bell's Palsy, a form of facial paralysis that affected his vision. He moved to Pune Warriors the next season and was very impressive, picking up 14 wickets while maintaining a very god economy throughout the season. This earned him a national call-up and he made his ODI debut against West Indies in 2011. he also travelled with the side to Australia and played a couple of ODIs before making his T20I debut Down Under. 2012 wasn't a great year for Sharma, as he was tested positive for consuming recreational drugs when police took samples of him while raiding a rave party during IPL-5. Though Sharma denied consuming any drugs, he faced arrest. He was left from the Indian squad but the BCCI backed him and Sharma was able to recover in a year's time. He represented Pune again in 2013, before moving onto Delhi Daredevils for IPL-7. However, he could not get many opportunities with the Daredevils. Sharma credited Anil Kumble, Yuvraj Singh and the BCCI for encouraging him during his tough times.