IPL 2026: Mukul Choudhary dedicates match-winning knock to MS Dhoni
What's the story
Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) star Mukul Choudhary has dedicated his match-winning innings against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to his idol, MS Dhoni. Choudhary, now a household name, played a brilliant unbeaten knock of 54 off just 27 balls, helping LSG chase down a target of 182 runs. He came in at a precarious position with the team reeling at 104/5 in the 13th over and took them home with an explosive finish.
Match details
A brilliant hand from Choudhary
Choudhary's innings was a mix of aggression and precision, as he hit 7 sixes during his knock. The 21-year-old started his assault on KKR's bowlers in the 18th over, hitting two sixes off Karthik Tyagi. He then took 16 runs off Cameron Green's bowling in the penultimate over. With 14 runs needed in the last over, Choudhary sealed the game by hitting a couple of sixes off Vaibhav Arora on the last ball.
Inspiration
Choudhary dedicates his innings to Dhoni
After his stellar performance, Choudhary dedicated his innings to MS Dhoni and his father. "I used to watch how MS Dhoni would finish games," he said in the post-match conference. "I bat at the same number. He inspired me early in my career, I finished the game and would dedicate it to him." The young cricketer also revealed that he practices hitting 100-150 sixes daily to improve his game.
Recruitment
LSG coach Justin Langer on Choudhary
After the match, LSG's coach Justin Langer revealed that Choudhary was spotted by their performance analyst during a training camp. He said, "Oh, we saw him earlier at a training camp a few months ago, the first time we picked him up. There's so much talent in this country." The franchise paid ₹2.60 crore for Choudhary in the IPL auction, and it has already paid off handsomely.
Praise
'He's like Virat,' says Langer
Langer praised Choudhary for his athleticism and game sense, comparing him to Virat Kohli. "What I love most about him is that he's a real athlete. The way he runs between the wickets is elite, like Virat," he said. "But the other thing is his game sense. We've had some practice games, and the way he talks about the game feels like he's played 300 matches already."