It was a ‘remember the name’ moment for Mukul Chaudhary as he single-handedly led Lucknow Super Giants to an improbable win over Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at Eden Garden on Thursday.
KKR looked in control and had the game in their hands. But then Mukul Chaudhary turned it around. He remained calm under pressure and helped when it mattered most. It became a night he would remember for a long time.Mukul Choudhury scored 54 runs off 27 balls, with two fours and seven sixes as Lucknow Super Giants defeated Kolkata Knight Riders by three wickets.Chasing 182, LSG rode on Aayush Badoni’s 34-ball 54 and Mukul Choudhary’s brilliant 27-ball 54 not out to cross the line in a thrilling last-ball affair.Who is Mukul Chaudhary?Mukul Chaudhary, 21, is a wicketkeeper-batsman who plays for Rajasthan in domestic cricket. He performed well at Under-23 level and then scored 173 runs in five innings in the 2025-26 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy at a strike rate of 198.85. After that, he was picked up by Lucknow Super Giants for Rs 2.60 crore in the IPL 2026 auction. The 21-year-old made his debut in January 2023 in the Ranji Trophy, while making his List A debut in December 2025.
He is known for scoring runs at the death overs and has a T20 strike rate above 160. Mukul’s path to professional cricket began with his father, Dalip Kumar Chaudhary. From Jhunjhunu in Rajasthan, Dalip followed cricket closely and wanted his son to take up the sport even before Mukul was born. The family faced financial problems and sporting facilities were limited in the area, but his father remained focused on helping him pursue cricket. Dalip initially worked as a teacher and later moved into the real estate and hotel industry, which helped him support his son’s training. He enrolled Mukul in the SBS Cricket Academy in Sikar so that he could get proper training and practice. Mukul did not start as a wicketkeeper. When he joined the academy, he was a medium-pace player and was aiming to build a career in that role. During one of the matches, the team needed a wicket-keeper, so he stepped in.
Mukul, who looks up to MS Dhoni, adapted to the role and continued as a wicket-keeper thereafter. As he progressed, he was noticed by the junior selectors and later moved to Jaipur to train at the Aravalli Cricket Academy. His mother and younger sister also moved with him so that he could focus on cricket. His mother took care of his daily routine, allowing him to focus on his game. He made his T20 debut in 2023, and his performance quickly caught 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.
