It was a ‘name to remember’ moment for Mukul Choudhary as he single-handedly led Lucknow Super Giants to an unlikely win over Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the ‘Garden of Eden’ on Thursday. KKR seemed to have the game in their hands. But then Mukul Choudhary turned it around. He remained calm under pressure and delivered when it mattered most. It turned out to be a night he will remember for a long time.Mukul Choudhary scored 54 runs from 27 balls, with two fours and seven sixes, as Lucknow Super Giants beat Kolkata Knight Riders by three wickets.Chasing 182, LSG rode on Ayush Badoni’s 34-ball 54 and Mukul Choudhary’s brilliant 27-ball 54 not out over the line in the final thriller.Who is Mukul Choudhary?Mukul Choudhary, 21, is a batsman who plays for Rajasthan in domestic cricket. He did well in the 2025-26 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and then scored 173 runs in five innings at a rate of 198.85. He was then picked by Lucknow Super Giants for Rs 2.60 crore in the IPL 2026 auction. The 21-year-old made his first-class debut in January 2023 in the Ranji Trophy, while his List A debut came in December 2025. He is known for scoring in the death overs and has a T20 strike tally of over 160. Mukul’s journey to professional cricket began with his father, Dalip Kumar Choudhary. Dalip, from Jhunjhun in Rajasthan, followed cricket closely and wanted his son to play the sport even before Mukul was born. The family faced financial problems and there were limited sporting facilities in the area, but his father remained focused on helping him pursue cricket. Dalip first worked as a teacher and later moved into the real estate and hotel business, which helped him support his son’s training. He enrolled Mukulu at the SBS Cricket Academy in Sikar so that he could get proper coaching and practice. Mukul didn’t start out as a goalkeeper. He was a medium fast bowler when he joined the academy and wanted to build a career in that role. During one game, the team needed a goalkeeper and he stepped up. Mukul, who looks up to MS Dhoni, adapted to the role and then continued as a wicketkeeper. As he progressed, he was noticed by the junior selectors and later moved to Jaipur to train at the Aravali Cricket Academy. His mother and younger sister also moved with him so that he could concentrate on cricket. His mother took care of his daily routine and allowed him to focus on the game. He made his T20 debut in 2023 and his performances soon attracted the attention of IPL scouts. In the IPL 2026 auction, he was bought by Lucknow Super Giants for Rs 2.6 crore after a bidding competition.
