Mukul Choudhary spoke about the influence of MS Dhoni and the support from Justin Langer after helping Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) beat Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at Eden Gardens in IPL 2026.
Mukul won the match for LSG with a brilliant unbeaten 54 off just 27 balls, hitting seven sixes and two fours at a strike rate of 200.
After the match, when asked about the helicopter shot he played for his first six, he said he has been practicing it since childhood. He also said he has always admired the way MS Dhoni finishes games.
“I have practised that shot since childhood.I always liked that, and the way Dhoni finished [an innings]. He used to hit a six even off a yorker. If you even hit that kind of a delivery for six, the bowler thinks about doing something different,” Mukul said.
That shot he played off Vaibhav Arora clearly showed the strong influence of MS Dhoni on him. Because of this influence, he also took up the role of a wicketkeeper batter.
Just like Dhoni, who was known for calculating situations and finishing matches on his own, Mukul, at just 21, showed the same calm approach and game awareness to guide his team to victory.
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Mukul also said that getting support from a coach like Justin Langer gave him a lot of confidence. He felt that the coach saw something special in him and showed trust, so it was his responsibility to deliver on the field.
“He (Justin Langer) showed faith in me, so it was my time to repay it. During practice, he spends 10-15 minutes exclusively with me every day. Whatever he taught me turned out to be helpful. So I just did my job after he trusted me to do it,” he added.
This innings will be remembered as one of the best of the tournament, especially since it came from a player who was playing only his second match under lights. He has given a big boost to LSG’s lower order finishing.
The team has now won two out of three matches and looks strong. Their next match is against Gujarat Titans (GT) on April 12 at the Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow.
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