IPL 2026: Mukul Choudhary opens up on struggles after match-winning knock vs KKR

Mukul Choudhary's name is now familiar to every cricket fan who watched the match yesterday between Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata. The players scored an unbeaten 54 off 27 balls, including two boundaries and seven sixes in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026. It was the match where a 21-year-old boy got the recognition he had dreamt of when he started playing cricket years ago. 

For LSG, it was another win, and for Mukul, it was a promise made to his father after the second game against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), where he failed to score runs, and the struggle was evident. However, captain Rishabh Pant won the match with a spectacular half-century. In that match, Mukul Choudhary made a promise to his father that he would win the next match, and he kept his promise. 

Mukul Choudhary reflects on tough journey to IPL spotlight

After the KKR clash, Mukul was spotted talking to the presenter Tanay Tiwari, where he opened up about the struggles and how his extended family members and people from his village reacted to it. From hearing taunts before the IPL auction to being welcomed with flowers, the 21-year-old batter has seen it all. He revealed that he believed in himself and knew that someday he was going to make it big, but he didn't expect it to be this soon. 

"People said that I can't do anything. They told my father that he would spoil me. This happened before the auction, and then when I went back to my village after the auction, the same people welcomed me with flowers. I didn't know that it would happen this soon, I knew that I would do it someday," said Mukul during the interview. 

Watch the video here:

Match-winning innings against KKR becomes turning point

Mukul Choudhary played a match-winning knock against KKR on April 9, winning two valuable points for the team. He made sure that he did the work and took the game home. He got the support from his teammate Ayush Badoni, who also scored a half-century in yesterday's match. It was not just a win for LSG; the innings will go down as one of the best in the franchise's history. 

The 21-year-old player took on some of the best bowlers, smashing seven sixes. The one which he hit in the last over became the highlight of the game and also turned the match in LSG's favour. He will look forward to playing such innings in the upcoming games as well since the tournament is long and LSG are yet to make it.