M S Dhoni would have felt a surge of pride watching Mukul Choudhary close out the contest for Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in their IPL 2026 clash against Kolkata Knight Riders at Eden Gardens on Thursday. At just 21, Choudhary has long admired Dhoni’s approach, and it showed as he delivered a commanding helicopter shot—timed and executed with the kind of confidence that makes it look effortless. Like his idol, Choudhary pushed the innings deep and ensured LSG crossed the line. The unbeaten push also meant Avesh Khan’s presence at the other end didn’t matter much, with Choudhary carrying the momentum almost single-handedly.
Choudhary’s unbeaten 54 off 27 balls stands out as one of the classiest knocks of the season so far, and it’s hardly surprising that the youngster from Rajasthan is quickly becoming the talk of the town. The standout feature of his innings wasn’t just the power—it was the composure and sharp reading of the game, which allowed LSG to keep moving forward at the right moments. In many ways, his knock functioned as a complete blueprint for finishing: acceleration when needed, boundaries in clusters, and a calm mindset even as the pressure built.
Helicopter shot that sent the signal early
The defining moment arrived on the fourth delivery of the 17th over, when Choudhary launched Vaibhav Arora’s ball into the stands with a helicopter shot. The moment the on-field umpire signalled it as a maximum, the impact was immediate—South Africa batter Faf du Plessis, inside the commentary box, clearly couldn’t hide his reaction.
Faf, who previously played for both Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), took to the air to remind viewers of Dhoni’s legacy. He said the helicopter shot was back and urged Dhoni to “eat his heart out,” pointing out that the trademark shot was alive and well again.
“MS Dhoni, eat your heart out. The helicopter shot is back,” Faf remarked during the broadcast.
Boundaries piled up as he stayed unbeaten
Choudhary’s 54-run innings was built on variety and intent, with 2 fours and 7 sixes to his name. Crucially, 50 of his 54 runs came in boundaries, underlining how dominant he looked throughout the chase and how thoroughly he controlled the rhythm of the batting.
What Mukul Choudhary said after the Player of the Match
After receiving the Player of the Match award, Choudhary revealed that the game against KKR was only his second outing in IPL action under lights. “This is just my 2nd match under lights,” he said at the post-match presentation.
He also spoke about the pressure that comes with performing on big nights, while explaining how he chose to focus on the opportunity rather than fear the moment. “There is pressure, sir. But I think that God has given me this opportunity, so I just believe in my ability. This is a chance to become something big or make a name for yourself. So I focus on the opportunity, not the pressure,” he added.
That mindset aligns with what he had shared ahead of the IPL 2026 season as well, when he said he looks up to MS Dhoni and wants to finish matches in a similar fashion to the former India captain.
From 2 off 8 to 52 off the next 19
What made the knock even more striking was the way it turned. Choudhary was initially batting at 2 runs from 8 balls, but once he found his range, he changed gears in a big way—smashing 52 runs off his subsequent 19 deliveries, transforming the chase and leaving LSG firmly on course for victory.
