I watched the match live. Eden Gardens was loud. KKR fans were already celebrating.
Then this kid happened.
With 30 runs needed off 12 balls, most people switched off their TVs. I almost did. But Mukul Choudhary had other plans. Two overs later, he turned a dead game into a miracle.
Here is everything you need to know about the 21-year-old who just broke the IPL.
The Knock That Broke Eden Gardens
Let me set the scene.
Lucknow Super Giants needed 182 to win. Simple chase, right? Wrong.
By the 16th over, LSG were drowning at 128 for 7. Their captain Rishabh Pant was back in the dugout. Nicholas Pooran? Gone. Ayush Badoni just lost his wicket. The scoreboard showed 54 needed from 24 balls.
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Most teams fold here. Most young players freeze.
Mukul Choudhary did the opposite.
He walked in when LSG were 104 for 5. He watched wickets fall around him. But he never panicked. His first few balls were quiet. He took singles. He rotated strike. He understood something crucial—stay till the end, and anything can happen.
Then he exploded.
The 19th over from Cameron Green changed everything. Mukul smashed two sixes and a four. 16 runs came off that over. The equation dropped to 14 needed from the final 6 balls.
Last over. Vaibhav Arora bowling. Pressure at maximum.
Mukul hit a six off the second ball. Then another six off the fifth ball. The crowd went silent. LSG needed 1 run from the final delivery. Avesh Khan scrambled a bye. Game over.
Mukul finished with 54 not out from 27 balls. Seven sixes. Two fours. A strike rate of 200. He looked up at the sky and said a small prayer. The LSG dugout rushed onto the field.
Who Exactly Is Mukul Choudhary?
Before April 9, 2026, very few people knew this name.
Mukul Choudhary is a 21-year-old wicketkeeper-batter from Jhunjhunu, Rajasthan. He plays domestic cricket for Rajasthan. And he only started playing serious cricket at age 12 or 13—late by Indian standards.
Here is the crazy part.
He did not start as a wicketkeeper.
When Mukul first joined an academy, he bowled medium pace. But one day, his team needed someone to keep wickets. No one volunteered. Mukul picked up the gloves. He never put them down.
He modeled his game after MS Dhoni. The calmness. The finishing. Even the helicopter shot. Against KKR, he hit a six over mid-wicket that looked exactly like Dhoni.
Mukul Choudhary IPL 2026 Auction: The 2.60 Crore Story
Now let us talk money.
The Mukul Choudhary IPL 2026 auction was a battle. He entered with a base price of just ₹30 lakh. But his Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy numbers forced everyone to pay attention.
In SMAT 2025-26, Mukul scored 173 runs in 5 innings. His strike rate? 198.85. That is not good. That is terrifying for bowlers.
When the Mukul Choudhary IPL auction began, Rajasthan Royals started the bidding. They wanted their local boy. Then Mumbai Indians jumped in. The price climbed to 95 lakhs. MI backed out.
Then LSG entered the race.
The bidding war between LSG and RR pushed the price higher and higher. Finally, LSG sealed the deal at ₹2.60 crore .
For an uncapped player who had never played an IPL match, that is serious money.
Looking back now? Absolute steal.
The Father's Dream That Made All of This Possible
You cannot tell Mukul's story without talking about his father, Dalip Kumar Choudhary. Here is something beautiful.
Mukul's father dreamed his son would play cricket before Mukul was even born.
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Dalip worked as a teacher first. Then moved into real estate and hotels. The family faced financial struggles. But Dalip never gave up on that dream.
He enrolled Mukul at the SBS Cricket Academy in Sikar. When Mukul needed better training, the family moved to Jaipur. His mother and younger sister came along so Mukul could focus entirely on cricket. After the KKR match, Mukul said this:
"My journey started when my father was not even married. He dreamed that his son would play cricket."
That is not a PR line. That is a son honoring his father's faith.
The Record That No One Saw Coming
Mukul and Avesh Khan put together something special.
Their 54-run partnership for the 8th wicket is now the highest stand for the 8th wicket or lower in a successful IPL chase.
Let me put that in perspective.
| Partnership |
Wicket |
Runs |
Teams |
Ground |
| Avesh Khan, MD Choudhary |
8th |
54* |
LSG vs KKR |
Eden Gardens |
| Rinku Singh, UT Yadav |
8th |
52* |
KKR vs GT |
Ahmedabad |
| Morris, Unadkat |
8th |
46* |
RR vs DC |
Wankhede |
Mukul's seven sixes are also the most by any LSG batter batting at No. 7 or lower. He matched Dwayne Bravo's record for most sixes from that position in a winning chase.
Not bad for a guy playing only his third IPL game.
Kolkata Knight Riders vs Lucknow Super Giants Timeline: A Rivalry Growing
The Kolkata knight riders vs Lucknow super giants timeline now has a new chapter. LSG have won 5 of their 7 meetings against KKR . At Eden Gardens specifically, LSG have now won 3 out of 4 attempts.
But this win felt different.
KKR captain Ajinkya Rahane scored a quick 41 off 24 balls . Angkrish Raghuvanshi added 45. KKR posted 181 for 4. Their bowlers had LSG on the mat.
Then Mukul happened.
The defeat left KKR still searching for their first win of IPL 2026. Three losses. One washout. Zero points. To make things worse, a controversial catch decision involving Finn Allen added salt to the wound. KKR all-rounder Rovman Powell called it an umpiring blunder.
But Powell also gave credit where it was due:
"Credit to the youngster. He batted really well."
What Makes Mukul Different? His Mindset
I have watched young players crumble under pressure. Mukul did something rare.
After the match, he explained his thinking:
"Even I liked the first six. I had not scored a single six in two games, so the first one was special. In my mind, I knew one out of the four balls would be in the slot. I was just waiting for it."
That is not luck. That is preparation.
He also said something that tells you everything about his game:
"From younger days, I like hitting sixes and not playing along the ground."
No fear. No hesitation. Just pure intent.
Rishabh Pant, his captain, noticed it too:
"When we see him in the nets, you can see that. When you do it in the match, I have no words. What a fantastic effort."
Pant also talked about trust. He said backing players matters more than anything else. That trust paid off in the biggest way possible.
What Comes Next for Mukul Choudhary?
LSG play Gujarat Titans next on April 12 at the Ekana Stadium in Lucknow.
Mukul will walk onto his home ground as a hero. But here is what matters now.
Can he do it again?
One innings does not make a career. The IPL is ruthless. Bowlers will study his weaknesses. Teams will plan for him.
But Justin Langer, LSG's coach, already sees something special. He called Mukul one of the potential "scariest number 6 or 7 batters" in India.
High praise. But after what we saw at Eden Gardens? Completely justified.
Quick Facts About Mukul Choudhary
| Detail |
Information |
| Age |
21 years |
| Home Town |
Jhunjhunu, Rajasthan |
| Role |
Wicketkeeper-Batter |
| IPL Team |
Lucknow Super Giants |
| IPL 2026 Auction Price |
₹2.60 crore |
| Domestic Team |
Rajasthan |
| T20 Strike Rate |
165.35 (overall) |
| SMAT 2025-26 Strike Rate |
198.85 |
| Hero |
MS Dhoni |
| Started As |
Medium-pace bowler |
The Final Thoughts
Mukul Choudhary is not a flash in the pan. He has the numbers. He has the temperament. And he has a father who believed in him before anyone else knew his name.
The Mukul Choudhary IPL 2026 auction price of 2.60 crore raised eyebrows at the time. Now it looks like a bargain. Will he become India's next great finisher? Too early to say.
But one thing is certain. The next time Lucknow needs 30 runs from 12 balls, no one is switching off their TV.
