Who is Mukul Choudhary? LSG's batting sensation in IPL 2026
What's the story
Mukul Choudhary, a 21-year-old wicketkeeper-batter from Rajasthan, has become a household name after his stellar knock in the Indian Premier League (IPL). He recently led his team, Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), to victory against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) with an impressive knock of 54* off just 27 balls. As a result, LSG, who were reeling at 128/7, successfully chased down 182 on the final ball.
Knock
How Mukul weaved his match-winning knock
Mukul's innings came at a crucial time when his team was struggling. He was on just two runs off six balls when Mohammed Shami fell. However, he quickly shifted gears and raced to 26 off 16 balls with a six and four off Vaibhav Arora, followed by two sixes off Kartik Tyagi. The 21-year-old wicketkeeper from Rajasthan expertly rotated the strike as he took LSG closer to their target of 182 runs.
Push
The final push!
The 19th over, bowled by Cameron Green, yielded 16 runs as Mukul hit two sixes and a four. Avesh Khan took a single off the first ball, leaving Mukul to get 13 with five balls left. He kept hitting boundaries, including another six off Arora. The bowler tried to keep it wide for a couple of deliveries, but the No. 7 batsman hit a wristy six over the off side for his half-century in just 26 balls. LSG won the final-ball thriller.
Idol inspiration
Early days
Mukul Dalip Choudhary, the 21-year-old wicketkeeper-batter, was born on August 6, 2004, in Jhunjhunu. Growing up, Choudhary idolized MS Dhoni, a legend in many aspects. The former took up wicketkeeping after no other keeper was available in his team during the academy games in Rajasthan. He moved from his hometown to Jaipur to pursue his cricketing dreams at an academy that also produced IPL stars, Kartik Sharma and Ashok Sharma.
Rising star
Choudhary made headlines in SMAT tournament
Choudhary made a name for himself in the 2025/26 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, India's domestic T20 competition. He scored an impressive 173 runs in the tournament at an average of over 57 and a strike rate of 198.85. His stellar performance came after he scored over 600 runs, including consecutive centuries, in an age-group competition, catching the attention of state selectors.
Bidding war
Fierce bidding war for his services
Choudhary's impressive performances in the SMAT tournament led to a fierce bidding war between Mumbai Indians and LSG at the IPL 2026 mini-auction, with the latter winning the race for his signature at ₹2.60 crore. LSG coach Justin Langer has high hopes for Choudhary. He said that the young player could become one of India's "scariest number 6 or 7 batters in India."