NEW DELHI: Calm under pressure and fearless at the death, Mukul Chaudhary lit up the Eden Gardens with a 27-ball 57, hitting seven sixes in the final over for Lucknow Supergiants to win against Kolkata Knight Riders on Thursday.The 21-year-old Jhunjhunu had all the emotions written on his face as he scored the winning runs – holding his nerve, battling anxiety, negotiating Vibhu Arora’s last-over yorkers, waiting for the right ball to send over the ropes, and then playing with both his arms to get out.He hit a six. IPL However, the night is backed by an even bigger story of preparation. This was not the first time that the youngster from Sikar, Jhunjhunu, Rajasthan had taken bowlers apart. Long before hitting the headlines in the IPL, he had hit an incredible 36 sixes in an innings.
36 sixes in an innings
In Sekar (Jhunjhunu), where Mukal trains, he practices on black clay. However, accommodating the red clay wickets became a major challenge. It was then that he approached his Under-23 batting coach Chandrapal Singh. In Rajasthan, red mud pits are found in Udaipur and Nathdwara. The distance was tough, but an adamant Mukal accepted the challenge.Packing their kit at night, they would board a bus to Udaipur (in Rajasthan) – and sometimes Nathdwara (in Rajasthan) – both about 500 km from Jhunjhunu.“Mukkal is extremely hardworking. I didn’t know if he would agree to it or not, but he accepted the challenge despite all the travel. He had to travel a long distance – traveling 500 km by bus, playing a match, staying overnight and then coming back is not easy.” He did this about three times a week,” Chandrapal told TimesofIndia.com. “He once hit 36 sixes in a T20 match. We called two teams, and Mukul’s team was against them. I knew he would play a big innings, but I didn’t expect him to set things on fire like that. He was hitting the ball with ferocity. He also practiced with MS Dhoni.”“You will find red clay in places like Mumbai, Chennai, Ahmedabad, Cuttack and Karnataka. The way he stepped out of his comfort zone to prepare for this IPL is remarkable. He is a complete team man — the team always comes first for him,” he added.Muckle enjoyed a brilliant run in domestic cricket. After making the mark at the Under-23 level, he scored 173 runs in five innings at a striking rate of 198.85 in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2025-26. His impressive form with the bat earned him an IPL contract, with Lucknow Supergiants buying him for Rs 2.60 crore in the IPL 2026 auction.
Mukul Chaudhary: Not just another hitter.
The 21-year-old’s ability to navigate the ropes with ease – from bat swing to footwork, reach and situational reading – didn’t come overnight.“I’ve practiced that shot since I was a kid,” Muckle said during the post-match press conference after finishing the robbery.“My body is naturally a little stronger, and that has helped me. I also practice hitting 100-150 sixes every day, so if you keep repeating it, the bat speed increases. I have been training hard for the last five-six months, and now it has become a part of my game,” he had said.After the match, LSG captain Rishabh Pant, who looked tense till the final delivery, was visibly relieved. A wide smile spread across his face as he moved forward to hug Mukul.For Chandrapal, Mukul has always been a player who puts the team above everything else.“More than just a great batsman, he is a wonderful team man. His first priority is always the team. I noticed this when he first came to me. In every situation he would ask, ‘Sir, how can I help the team win?’ That attitude has made him special and made him this far,” he said.“We have seen players like Russell and Pollard, who are physically very strong hitters. They are similar in that sense. They have such a muscular build and a very different mindset. If he has to hit 100 sixes in a day, he can do it comfortably,” added Chandrapal.
Ultimate dream – meeting Dhoni
Of his seven sixes against Kolkata Knight Riders on Saturday night, one stood out – the Dhoni-esque helicopter shot that sent the Eden Gardens crowd into a deafening roar. The entire LSG dugout including Rishabh Pant was stunned.Lucknow Supergiants next face Chennai Super Kings on May 10 and for Mukul Chaudhary, he will not only be riding the high of his incredible innings, but he will be looking forward to meeting his idol MS Dhoni. “I always look up to MS Dhoni because I am a finisher too. I always look up to him. His helicopter shot, which is so famous, is my favourite. The way he led India in the 2011 World Cup, everyone remembers that. I want to be like him and finish matches and help my team win,” Mikkel said on JioHotstar after the game.
Lucknow Supergiants will next face Chennai Super Kings on May 10.
Before that, they have a packed schedule: they take on Gujarat Titans on Sunday, followed by Royal Challengers Bangalore on April 15, Punjab Kings on April 19, Rajasthan Royals on April 22, Kolkata Knight Riders on April 26, Mumbai Indian on 4 May, and again against Royal Challengers Bengaluru on 7 May.
