New Delhi: Former South African captain Faf du Plessiswho also played for Chennai Super Kings, Rising Pune Supergiant, and Royal Challengers Bangalore (now Royal Challengers Bangalore), praised young Lucknow Supergiants (LSG) wicketkeeper-batsman Mukul Chaudhary for his match-winning performance against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on Thursday. Playing at the Eden Gardens, Chaudhary scored an unbeaten 54 off just 27 balls, hitting seven sixes and two fours to lead LSG to a thrilling last-ball victory. Speaking on JioStar, Du Plessis praised not only his strength but also his composure under pressure, saying, “It’s unbelievable to see the awareness to take the game forward. The power of the youngster, unbelievable batting.”
He also compared Chaudhary’s style to that of MS Dhoni, particularly his flick shots, adding, “What a game of cricket, there’s a lot of burst, and he has to steal it towards the end. Some of the shots reminded me of watching MS Dhoni back in the day, especially those flick shots, so much power.
Crucial turning point for LSG
Du Plessis highlighted that such close wins can define a team’s season. He explained that moments like these can change the momentum, especially when a young and relatively inexperienced player steps up and closes the game. “You get very few moments in the season where you can almost appreciate it…if it had gone our way, the season would have looked very different,” he added. He added that LSG managed to win a match they could have easily lost, which should boost their confidence.
Tough phase for KKR
KKR, on the other hand, seem to be struggling with luck this season. With three losses and one match over, things haven’t gone their way. Du Plessis pointed out small mistakes, such as missing out on easy runs at crucial moments, which cost him games. “Those 50-50 moments just aren’t falling in their favor,” he said, stressing that teams need to be sharp in key situations if they want to win tight matches.
