Mukul Choudhary: 36 sixes in an innings, 500 km bus rides, an MS Dhoni dream | Cricket News - The Times of Bharat
Mukul Choudhary: 36 sixes in an innings, 500 km bus rides, an MS Dhoni dream
Mukul Choudhary: 36 sixes in an innings, 500 km bus rides, an MS Dhoni dream
Upcoming DELHI: Calm under pressure and fearless at the death, Mukul Choudhary lit up Eden Gardens with a 27-ball 57, launching seven sixes to script a remarkable last-over triumph for Lucknow Super Giants against Kolkata Knight Riders on Thursday.
The emotions were written all over the 21-year-old from Jhunjhunu’s face as he struck the winning runs - holding his nerve, battling anxiety, negotiating yorkers in the final over from Vaibhav Arora, waiting for the right ball to send over the ropes, and then raising both arms in celebration before his teammates sprinted in from the dugout to mob him.
Rovman Powell reacts after KKR’s heartbreaking home defeat
night, however, is backed by an even bigger story of preparation.
This wasn’t the first time the youngster from Sikar, Jhunjhunu, Rajasthan had taken bowlers apart. Long before making headlines in the IPL, he had already smashed an incredible 36 sixes in an innings.
In Sikar (Jhunjhunu), where Mukul trains, he practices on black soil. Adjusting to red-soil wickets, however, 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 daunting, but an adamant Mukul embraced the challenge.
Packing his kit at night, he would board a bus to Udaipur (in Rajasthan) - and sometimes Nathdwara (in Rajasthan) - both nearly 500 km from Jhunjhunu.
"Mukul is extremely hardworking. I didn’t know if he would agree to it, but he accepted the challenge despite all the travel. He had to cover long distances - it’s not easy to travel 500 km by bus, play a match, stay overnight, and then return.
He did this almost three times a week," Chandrapal told TimesofIndia.com.
"He once hit 36 sixes in a T20 match. We had called up a couple of teams, and Mukul’s side was up against them. I knew he would play a huge knock, but I didn’t expect him to set things on fire the way he did. He was hitting the ball brutally. He has also practiced MS Dhoni’s helicopter shot,” Chandrapal said.
“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—team always comes first for him,” he added.
Mukul enjoyed an impressive run in domestic cricket.After making a mark at the Under-23 level, he scored 173 runs in five innings in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2025–26 at a striking rate of 198.85. His superb form with the bat earned him an IPL contract, with Lucknow Super Giants picking him up for Rs 2.60 crore at the IPL 2026 auction.
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 practised that shot since childhood,” Mukul had said during the post-match press conference after pulling off the heist.
“My body is naturally a bit powerful, and that has helped me. I also practise 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 it has now become part of my game,” he had said.
After the match, LSG captain Rishabh Pant, who had looked tense until the final delivery, appeared visibly relieved. A broad smile spread across his face as he walked up to hug Mukul.
For Chandrapal, Mukul has always been a player who puts the team above everything else.
“More than just a classy batter, he is a brilliant team man. His first priority is always the team.
I noticed this when he first came to me. In every situation, he would ask, ‘Sir, how can I help the team victory?’ That attitude has made him special and brought him this far,” he said.
“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 it comfortably,” added Chandrapal.
Among his seven sixes against Kolkata Knight Riders on Saturday night, one stood out - a Dhoni-esque helicopter shot that sent the Eden Gardens crowd into a deafening roar. The entire LSG dugout, including Rishabh Pant, was left stunned.
Lucknow Super Giants now will next face Chennai Super Kings on May 10 and for Mukul Choudhary, he will not just be riding on the high of his incredible innings, he will be looking forward to meeting his idol MS Dhoni.
"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. The way he led India in the 2011 Globe Cup, everybody remembers it. I want to be like him and finish off matches and help my team success," Mukul had said on JioHotstar after the game.
Lucknow Super Giants will next face Chennai Super Kings on May 10.
Before that, their schedule is packed: they take on Gujarat Titans on Sunday, followed by Royal Challengers Bengaluru on April 15, Punjab Kings on April 19, Rajasthan Royals on April 22, Kolkata Knight Riders on April 26, Mumbai
on May 4, and once again Royal Challengers Bengaluru on May 7.
Do you think Mukul Choudhary can maintain his performance throughout the IPL season?
Mukul Choudhary: 36 sixes in an innings, 500 km bus rides, a MS Dhoni dream
'Dear Vaibhav...: Virat Kohli’s heartwarming message for Sooryavanshi
PBKS vs SRH, preview: Punjab start favourites against faltering Sunrisers Hyderabad
IPL match today, CSK vs DC: Predicted playing XI, head-to-head, pitch update, Chennai weather latest
Bumrah or Hazlewood, doesn't matter: Sooryavanshi claims 'play the ball, not bowler'
'You were Usain Bolt?': Zaheer recalls fiery exchange with Ponting in 2010 Mohali Test
Drama in PSL over Usman Tariq's action: Batter walks away vs Pak spinner - Watch
IPL match today, PBKS vs SRH: Predicted playing XI, head-to-head, pitch account, Novel Chandigarh weather information
IPL: Mukul magic! LSG's new power hitter keeps date with destiny
US-Israel-Iran War Ceasefire News Live Updates: Donald Trump speaks to Netanyahu, asks Israel to pull back on Lebanon strikes
Gold, Silver Rate Today Live Updates: Gold prices rise in international markets; where are the headed in near-term?
TGBIE TS Inter Result 2026 Date & TIme Live Updates: TSBIE to announce 1st, 2nd year results soon for over 9 lakh students
Bumrah or Hazlewood, doesn't matter: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi says 'play the ball, not bowler'
Drama in PSL over Usman Tariq's action: Batter walks away twice vs Pakistan spinner - Watch
PCB, PSL under fire after ex-Pakistan captain Misbah ul Haq's role comes to light
IPL 2026: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi blitz scripts history, powers Rajasthan Royals to...
Kash Patel to head CIA, Vivek Ramaswamy homeland security? What a Trump 2.0 Cabinet may look like
NFL Trade Rumors: Chicago Bears linked to $100M Cleveland Browns Pro Bowl CB amid defensive concerns
NFL Trade Rumors: Baltimore Ravens could eye $2M Miami Dolphins star TE and Pro Bowler after a disappointing season
Iran Issues Chilling Warning, Signals Full Combat Readiness Amid Fragile Ceasefire
India-US Ties Get Real Boost As Vikram Misri Wraps Up Key Visit After Talks On LPG, Nuclear Power
‘Buried But Not Destroyed’: Iran Retains Over 1,000 Missiles Ready For Deployment? US Intel Warns
‘Never Lost His Trail’: India's Hunt For Ghazi Baba, The Tip Off That Finally Cornered Him
'Not A Political Party': Samik Bhattacharya Targets TMC, Jabs Abhishek Banerjee | West Bengal Polls
Drone Storm Over Kuwait! Air Defences Destroy 7 UAVs Amid Fragile US-Iran Ceasefire
Hezbollah Unleashes Rocket Storm On Israeli City; Huge Fireball, Destruction On Cam
'success A War Without Firing?’ CDS Anil Chauhan Explains Shift From Battlefield To Perception Warfare
"Behen Darr Gayi!": Fans relive ‘Bhagam Bhag’ era after watching Akshay Kumar's 'Bhooth Bangla' trailer
MBOSE HSLC result 2026 to release tomorrow: Check details here
Iran war risk: JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon warns of oil shocks, sticky inflation and higher interest rates
Make your clutch last longer with these easy driving tips
“Three-against-one situation”: El Rubius opens up on being “targeted” in MrBeast’s viral $1M challenge
Bihar BTSC lab assistant notification released for 1091 posts at btsc.bihar.gov.in; apply here
IPL craze costs techie Rs 1.46 lakh in fake RCB vs CSK ticket scam
Raising “robot-proof” kids: Why creativity and curiosity matter more than ever
Inside ‘Satguru Sharan’: Exploring Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor Khan’s Rs 100 crore Bandra home
How selling Alaska in 1867 was a costly mistake for Russia
'Hera Pheri 3 is coming': Paresh Rawal dismisses delay reports and reveals he will 'start shooting soon'
US-Iran War: A daring rescue Hollywood blockbuster is on its way. Till then, pick your favourite from these 10 films on bringing someone home against all odds
Kolkata team unveils fan mural at Rash Behari Avenue, celebrating city’s first love
How US spread a lie to rescue a pilot of a jet shot down in Iran
Netflix unveils ‘VOID’, an AI model that can change a movie plot
AI data centers are causing 'stress' not just to tech companies, but also private insurers
"Trans women are.....": Clavicular’s viral moment with trans women sparks fresh conversation on internet culture
Copyright © 2026 Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd. All rights reserved. For reprint rights: Times Syndication Service
