3 min readApr 9, 2026 11:56 PM IST On a humid Thursday night at Eden Gardens, Mukul Choudhary played the kind of innings young cricketers dream about. His unbeaten 54 off 27 balls helped Lucknow Super Giants chase down the 182-run target against Kolkata Knight Riders, clinching a tense win in the final over. It looked like a breakthrough moment. In reality, it was the result of years of quiet effort. Mukul grew up in Rajasthan’s Jhunjhunu, where serious cricket infrastructure is hard to come by. His father, Dalip Kumar Choudhary, always wanted him to pursue the sport, but didn’t quite know how to make it happen in the beginning. Money was tight, and opportunities were limited, but he kept looking for a way. That chance came when Mukul was sent to a cricket academy in Sikar. Back then, he was a medium-fast bowler, focused on making a mark with the ball. Batting was not the plan. But one day, the team needed a wicketkeeper. Mukul stepped in. It was a small moment at the …