Kolkata, April 10 Mukul Choudhary's journey was shaped by both his family's sacrifice and his natural talent. Even before he got married, his father, Dalip, had already decided that his son would be a cricketer.
To make this vision a reality, the family sold their home, endured social criticism, and faced significant financial hardship – all to ensure that Mukul reached the highest level of the sport.
Dalip left his teaching job, sold his share of the family home, and moved to a different location to support Mukul's training, while his mother, Sunita, completely reorganized her life around his cricket.
At the Aravalli Coaching Centre in Jaipur, Mukul initially started as a medium-paced bowler.
"I was a medium-paced bowler, so I became a wicketkeeper because there was no one else available," he said.
However, the coaches soon recognized his natural ability to hit powerfully and encouraged him to bat. The early days of his domestic cricket career in the 2022-23 season were challenging; his initial performance was not very impressive, but Mukul never lost confidence.
Even now, despite the increasing attention, he remains focused.
"Yes, there is pressure. This is my first season. Even during practice matches, there is pressure to perform because the team has shown trust in you."
"Even in domestic cricket, if you perform well, you can achieve this. But if you do it here, you will get a different name and a different identity. I focus on the process, taking a deep breath and concentrating."
"There will be pressure for everyone, even if you play five matches or 50. But the key is to ignore distractions and believe in yourself. I am learning this and I need to keep learning."
This belief was evident from day one, as his Lucknow Super Giants captain, Rishabh Pant, continued to perform even after scoring only 2 not out off five balls in the last match.
"In the last match, I was not able to hit well after 4-5 balls, and Rishabh bhaiya told me, 'Don't think too much, just do what you have been doing'," Mukul said.
Inspired by Dhoni, Mukul rises to become a key player in the IPL
=========================================
Mukul grew up watching MS Dhoni finish games, dreaming of doing the same one day.
On Thursday night at Eden Gardens, the 21-year-old rookie batter from Rajasthan turned this dream into reality with a stunning performance, helping Lucknow Super Giants win by three wickets against Kolkata Knight Riders in a thrilling last-ball finish.
"I dedicate this to my father. Even before he got married, he always dreamed of making his son a cricketer. I also always watch MS (Dhoni) sir, and the way he finishes. I also play at the same number, so I dedicate this to him," Mukul said after his impressive performance (54 not out from 27 balls; 2x4, 7x6).
Behind this composure lies relentless preparation, hitting close to 150 sixes every day.
"My genes are such, and I am naturally built in a way that I have the power to hit the ball, and I also practice a lot. I hit around 100-150 sixes every day. For the last five-six months, I've been practicing a lot, and that has helped me," he revealed.
He also spoke about his 'helicopter shot', which he used to hit Vaibhav Arora for a six in the 17th over.
"I have practiced this shot since childhood... I always liked this shot, and the way Dhoni finishes (an inning). He used to hit a six even off a yorker. If you even hit that kind of delivery for six, the bowler thinks about doing something different."
'Scariest finisher' tag
==================
This ability to hit sixes, combined with belief, has already caught the eye of LSG coach Justin Langer, who had famously said earlier that Mukul could become one of India's "scariest" middle-order batters.
This was evident against a weakened KKR bowling attack on Thursday, when he turned the match around, taking the score from 128/7 in 16 overs to 54 runs in the last four overs.
"If a coach says something like this about you, it means he has seen something special in you. He showed me his belief, and I wanted to prove it," continued Mukul.
"He also made me practice every day. He made me work with him for 10-15 minutes. He made me understand everything, and that is my job. I did my job, and he showed me his trust."
SMAT inspiration
===========
In fact, last December, Mukul needed 25 runs off the final over against Delhi in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. He almost pulled off the impossible, reducing the requirement to five off the last ball in a knock that put him on the IPL radar.
LSG snapped him up for Rs 2.60 crore soon after.
"25 runs were needed from the last over and five runs from the last ball. Ayush (Badoni) was bowling. I had the belief, since I had done this before. I was picked because of that innings," he recollected.
Five months later, on the much larger IPL stage, the script felt familiar, and Mukul said he knew it would give him a "new identity".
Playing his third IPL game, Mukul took charge with a breathtaking assault.
"I never thought about the result, just wanted to take the match to the end and try to win, and in the end, it became clear that 'yes, I can do it'," Mukul said.
Deep breathing mantra
==================
His calmness under pressure is no accident; he revealed that his deep-breathing mantra helps him to ease the tension.
"I used to be in a hurry before 1-2 years. But after 1-2 years of practice, I have kept in mind that I have to play as long as I can. If I take the game to the end, I will win."
"When there are many things going on, I want to sit down peacefully for five seconds and take a few deep breaths, just watch the ball and play the ball." This routine was visible even in the final over, as he briefly went down on his haunches to reset before finishing the job.
"I knew he would err on one ball, and I had to hit it for six."
