Mukul Chaudhary (BCCI photo)

New Delhi: Calm under pressure and fearless at the death, Mukul Choudhary smashed 57 off 27 balls and seven sixes to lead Lucknow Super Giants to a spectacular victory in the last over at the Eden Gardens on Thursday against Kolkata Knight Riders.The emotions on the 21-year-old Jhunjhunu’s face as he scored the winning run were clear – keeping his nerve, battling anxiety, negotiating a yorker in the final over from Vaibhav Arora, waiting for the right ball to send it across the ropes and then raising both hands to celebrate, before his teammates rushed to surround him from the dugout.hitting that six IPL However, the night of preparation is supported by an even bigger story. This was not the first time that the youth of Sikar, Jhunjhunu, Rajasthan had thrashed the bowlers. Even before making headlines in the IPL, he had already hit an incredible 36 sixes in an innings.

36 sixes in one innings

In Sikar (Jhunjhunu), where Mukul trains, he practices on black soil. However, adjusting to the red-clay wickets became a major challenge. That’s when he turned to his under-23 batting coach Chandrapal Singh. In Rajasthan, red soil pitches are found in Udaipur and Nathdwara. The distance was difficult, but the stubborn Mukul accepted the challenge.Packing his kit at night, he would board a bus to Udaipur (in Rajasthan) and sometimes to Nathdwara (in Rajasthan), about 500 km from Jhunjhunu.“Mukul is extremely hard-working. I didn’t know whether he would agree to it or not, but he took up the challenge despite all the travelling. He had to cover long distances – traveling 500 km by bus, playing a match, staying overnight and then coming back is not easy. “He did this about three times a week,” Chandrapal told TimesofIndia.com. Chanderpaul said, “He once hit 36 ​​sixes in a T20 match. We had called some teams and Mukul’s team was against them. I knew he would play a big innings, but I did not expect him to set it on fire like this. He was hitting the ball ruthlessly. He has also practiced MS Dhoni’s helicopter shot.”“You will find red soil in places like Mumbai, Chennai, Ahmedabad, Cuttack and Karnataka. The way he stepped out of his comfort zone to prepare for this IPL is remarkable. He is a complete team man – for him the team always comes first,” he said.Mukul performed brilliantly in domestic cricket. After making his mark at the Under-23 level, he scored 173 runs at a strike rate of 198.85 in five innings in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2025-26. His excellent form with the bat earned him an IPL contract, with Lucknow Super Giants buying him for Rs 2.60 crore in the IPL 2026 auction.

Mukul Chaudhary: Not just another hitter

For the 21-year-old, the ability to clear the ropes with ease – from bat swing to footwork, reach and reading the situation – has not come overnight.“I have practiced that shot since my childhood,” Mukul had said during the post-match press conference after the robbery.“My body is naturally a bit powerful, and that has helped me. I also practice hitting 100-150 sixes every day, so the bat speed develops if you keep repeating it.” I have been training hard for the last five to six months and now it has become a part of my game.After the match, LSG captain Rishabh Pant, who was looking tense till the final delivery, looked relieved. A wide smile spread across Mukul’s face as he moved forward to hug him.For Chanderpaul, Mukul has always been a player who puts the team above everything else.“More than a classy batsman, he is a brilliant team man. His first priority is always the team.” I noticed it when he first came to me. In every situation he would ask, ‘Sir, how can I help the team win?’ This attitude is what makes him special and has brought him this far.”“We have seen players like Russell and Pollard, who are physically very strong hitters. He is similar in that sense. He has that kind of muscular build and a very different mindset. If he has to hit 100 sixes in a day, he can do that comfortably,” Chanderpaul said.

Last dream – meeting Dhoni

One of his seven sixes against Kolkata Knight Riders on Saturday night was a Dhoni-like helicopter shot that sent the Eden Gardens crowd into a deafening roar. The entire LSG dugout including Rishabh Pant was stunned.Lucknow Super Giants will next face Chennai Super Kings on May 10 and for Mukul Choudhary, he will not only be at the pinnacle of his incredible innings, but he will also be looking forward to meeting his idol MS Dhoni. Mukul had said on JioHotstar after the match, “I always look up to MS Dhoni because I am also a finisher. I always look up to him. His helicopter shot, which is very iconic, is my favourite. Everyone remembers the way he led India in the 2011 World Cup. I want to be like him and finish matches and help my team win.”

Lucknow Super Giants’ next match will be against Chennai Super Kings on May 10.

Ahead of that, their schedule is packed: They will face Gujarat Titans on Sunday, followed by Royal Challengers Bangalore on April 15, Punjab Kings on April 19, Rajasthan Royals on April 22, Kolkata Knight Riders on April 26, Mumbai Indians on April 15, and Kolkata Knight Riders on April 26. Indian On 4 May and once again against Royal Challengers Bangalore on 7 May.