Kamal Ghorui
Lucknow Super Giants unearthed a new hero in debutant Mukul Choudhary, who single-handedly scripted a stunning last-ball win over Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL 2026. Earlier, Choudhary had revealed that Indian great MS Dhoni remains his biggest inspiration.Chasing a challenging target of 182, LSG looked out of contention at one stage. However, Choudhary’s fearless approach and composure under pressure turned the game around. The young batter smashed an unbeaten 54 off just 27 balls, sealing the win in dramatic fashion and announcing his arrival on the big stage.Earlier, in an interaction with JioHotstar, Choudhary had revealed his admiration for MS Dhoni, calling the former India captain his biggest inspiration.“Main hamesha MS Dhoni sir ko hi dekhta hoon, kyunki main khud bhi wicketkeeper tha. Unka helicopter shot mujhe bahut pasand hai, especially 2011 World Cup mein jo unhone khela. Wahi sab yaad rehta hai. Woh mere role model rahe hain. Main bhi unki tarah finisher banna chahta hoon, game khatam karna chahta hoon.”(Translation: “I have always looked up to MS Dhoni sir because I was also a wicketkeeper. I love his helicopter shot, especially from the 2011 World Cup. Those moments stay with me. He has been my role model. I want to become a finisher like him and close games.”)Reflecting on his journey after being named Player of the Match, Choudhary spoke about the struggles he overcame to reach this stage.“My journey actually started even before I was born. My father had a dream that one day his son would play cricket. But back then, our financial condition wasn’t strong, so I couldn’t start early.”He added, “I began playing at around 12–13 years of age. There weren’t many academies at that time. One academy, SBC Cricket Academy, had just opened, and I trained there for about 5-6 years.”Summing up his fearless style, he said, “Since childhood, I’ve always played attacking cricket. I’ve always been someone who hits.”
