Backed by the faith of Lucknow Super Giants and guided by the example of his idol MS Dhoni, Mukul Choudhary turned his opportunity into a statement performance as he helped the franchise deliver an unlikely escape against Kolkata Knight Riders. In a tense match at Eden Gardens on Thursday (April 9), Mukul struck 54 off 27 balls, with 12 of those runs arriving in the final over to lift LSG over the line. Speaking after the game, the batter explained that the confidence shown to him by captain Rishabh Pant, head coach Justin Langer and the broader LSG environment gave him the belief to execute under pressure during the run chase.<\/p>\n
Playing only his third IPL match, Mukul admitted that he has sometimes fallen into the habit of overthinking while batting. However, a conversation with Pant helped him settle his mind just before the chase began. He said he used to rush his own batting in the past, but has since worked on playing longer spells and taking the match deep. Mukul added that recent outings where he survived for only a handful of deliveries without getting out still didn\u2019t translate into the kind of hitting he wanted, making the need for mental clarity even more important.<\/p>\n
\u201cI used to rush myself a couple of years ago, but now I have practised playing long, taking the game deep and winning it. Even in the last two games, I played only four-five balls, I didn\u2019t get out, but I wasn\u2019t able to hit,\u201d Mukul said. He then described Pant\u2019s message, delivered in the bus on the way to the ground, which urged him to stop loading his mind with thoughts and instead trust the process he had been working on.<\/p>\n
\u201cPant told me (in the bus on the way): \u2018Why are you thinking so much: I\u2019ll do this, I\u2019ll do that. Don\u2019t. Just follow the process you have been working on. If you think, you\u2019ll put a lot of pressure. See the ball like you do and hit it. We have belief in you, now have that in yourself,\u2019\u201d Mukul recalled.<\/p>\n
Before the IPL, Langer had made a bold prediction about Mukul\u2019s development, stating that if he was willing, he would transform him into the most intimidating No. 6\u20137 batter in India within the next four months. When asked about that comment after the match, Mukul said that kind of assessment from a respected coach could only come from having noticed something tangible in him. He also highlighted that Langer worked with him separately on a daily basis.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf such a renowned coach says that about you, he has definitely seen something. They showed faith in me, so it was on me to repay it. He (Langer) would separately work on me daily for 10-20 minutes,\u201d Mukul said.<\/p>\n
Mukul\u2019s innings featured seven sixes, including a Dhoni-like helicopter strike\u2014an all-wrist, well-timed swing that sent the ball skidding down the ground. He said that particular shot is not something he picked up recently; instead, it is a finish he has been practicing since childhood. According to Mukul, the reason he keeps returning to it is that it forces bowlers to constantly rethink their plans once they see how committed he is to finishing.<\/p>\n
\u201cI always liked that (Dhoni) shot, the way he would finish it. It\u2019s a good ball to hit for six, if you can hit that, the bowler really has to think what to do. That\u2019s why I practice it,\u201d Mukul said. He also dedicated his knock to Dhoni as well as to his father, who, Mukul revealed, wanted him to become a cricketer long before he married.<\/p>\n
\u201cI used to watch how MS Dhoni would finish games,\u201d Mukul added. \u201cI bat at the same number. He inspired me early in my career, I finished the game and would dedicate it to him.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mukul believes his growth has come from combining inspiration with consistent work, particularly in the lead-up to the season. He explained that while his body naturally offers a bit more power, he has trained specifically to develop it further\u2014by repeatedly hitting large numbers of sixes during practice sessions. He said that for the previous five to six months, he has put in extra time on that aspect, and the results are now showing in his ability to clear the ropes.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy body has a bit more natural power, but I practice as well – hitting 100 to 150 sixes daily – it develops if you keep practising it regularly. For the last 5-6 months specifically, I have been working a lot on it, so it\u2019s now developed,\u201d Mukul said. Even with that preparation, he admitted that pressure still exists, but he has been learning how to keep it at bay since it is an unavoidable part of T20 cricket.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is my first season, there\u2019s pressure in practice games as well: they have so much belief in me, they\u2019ve bought me, I have to make my way into the playing XI and do well,\u201d he said. Mukul also described how the pressure continues from domestic and practice settings into the IPL, while arguing that it can still become an advantage if a player channels it into performance rather than worry.<\/p>\n
\u201cOnly when you do well in domestic do you reach here. That pressure continues. But it gives you a chance: if you do well here, you\u2019ll make your distinct name and identity. I focus on that instead of pressure, it stays for a few balls, so I take a deep breath,\u201d Mukul added.<\/p>\n
He further noted that pressure is not limited to a player\u2019s experience level, because even someone in their 15th or 50th match can feel it in a chase or a high-stakes moment. \u201cEven if someone is playing their 15th or 50th match, this situation will create pressure. You have to distract yourself and believe in yourself. I am still learning it,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Mukul linked his calmness in the Eden Gardens chase to an earlier experience from four months ago, during the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. Playing for Rajasthan against Delhi, he had managed an improbable chase in a similar late-over scenario. He believes that innings helped shape his confidence when the numbers looked demanding again in the IPL, particularly during the final stages.<\/p>\n
\u201cFour months ago, during a Syed Mushtaq Ali game for Rajasthan against Delhi, Mukul had pulled off an improbable chase in similar fashion. Mukul feels it was because of that innings: \u2018I got picked (at LSG) in a way.\u2019\u201d He also pointed to the structure of the chase, comparing the situation to needing runs late in the match and trusting that he could bring it home if he stayed in his role.<\/p>\n
\u201cI faced a similar situation in SMAT, needing 25 off the last over, five off the last ball. (LSG\u2019s) Ayush bhai (Badoni) was bowling. Even there, I took the game till the end. This had happened to me before, so I had belief in myself today as well that if I stay put, I will be able to hit it at the end,\u201d Mukul said. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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