Cricket has always had a soft spot for improbable heroes, and IPL 2026 found its newest one at the Eden Gardens on Thursday night. Twenty-one-year-old Mukul Choudhary played a stunning unbeaten knock to guide Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) to victory against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), smashing 54 runs off just 27 balls with seven sixes.
LSG, chasing 182, were in deep trouble. KKR’s Vaibhav Arora had removed Mitchell Marsh and Aiden Markram early, and despite Ayush Badoni’s gritty 54 keeping the chase alive, the Super Giants were reduced to 128/7, staring at an almost certain defeat. That was the moment Choudhary took over.
With 78 needed off 42 balls when he arrived, Choudhary saw set batters depart around him but shepherded the chase with remarkable composure, playing the percentages while hammering seven sixes in his 27-ball stay. Needing 30 off the final 12 balls, he belted two sixes and a four to bring the equation to a nerve-shredding finish. A helicopter-style shot over deep cover, played off-balance and almost falling, was the stroke that appeared to break KKR’s spirit. A scrambled single later, LSG were home by three wickets.
After the match, Choudhary, named Player of the Match, said his only aim was to stay at the crease: “My aim was to bat till the last and see what happens. It was only my second match. God has given me this opportunity; there can be pressure, but it is also an opportunity to make a name for myself.”
Born in Jhunjhunu, Rajasthan, from a humble background, Choudhary’s father, Dalip Kumar, found a way to send him to the SBS Cricket Academy in Sikar, a sacrifice that now looks richly rewarded. A right-handed wicketkeeper-batter, he was acquired by LSG at the IPL 2026 mini-auction for ₹2.60 crore after 28 bids, with Rajasthan Royals among those chasing his signature. He idolizes MS Dhoni and aims to replicate his calm finishing ability.
LSG captain Rishabh Pant was visibly impressed. “When we see him in the nets, you can see it. When you do it in a match, I have no words to describe it. But what a fantastic effort,” Pant said, adding that trust from the management plays a vital role in bringing out such performances.
For KKR, the defeat leaves them still searching for their first win of the season. For Mukul Choudhary, it may just be the beginning of something special.
