'Phasa diya ... but Dhoni': Mukul Choudhary passes big test

NEW DELHI: Lucknow Super Giants’ rising prima Mukul Choudhary became an overnight sensation aft scripting a stunning last-ball triumph against Kolkata Knight Riders astatine the Eden Gardens connected Thursday.

Chasing 182, LSG were successful heavy occupation astatine 128 for 7 successful the 16th over. With the crippled slipping away, the 21-year-old decided to instrumentality matters into his ain hands.On a aboveground that KKR skipper Ajinkya Rahane aboriginal described arsenic “not casual to play large shots,” Mukul unleashed a breathtaking assault, smashing 7 sixes successful a fearless display. Remarkably, it was lone his 3rd IPL crippled - and conscionable his 2nd lucifer nether lights.“When Ayush bhai (Ayush Badoni) got out, I knew I had to instrumentality responsibility. I conscionable wanted to instrumentality the crippled close, I wasn’t reasoning astir winning oregon losing,” Mukul said aft the match.Having grown up watching MS Dhoni decorativeness games, Mukul lived that imagination astatine Eden Gardens. The youngster from Rajasthan hammered 30 runs successful the last 2 overs, sealing a memorable triumph successful a last-ball thriller.Born successful Jhunjhunu, Mukul’s unbeaten 54 disconnected 27 balls stood retired not conscionable for the power-hitting, but besides for the composure helium showed nether pressure. He credited his skipper Rishabh Pant for keeping him calm successful the tense chase.

“Pant told me, ‘why are you reasoning truthful much? Don’t. Just travel the process you’ve been moving on.’ That helped,” helium revealed, portion admitting that the concern was acold from easy. “Even if idiosyncratic is playing their 15th oregon 50th match, this benignant of concern brings pressure. I effort to absorption connected the opportunity, not the pressure.”Interestingly, up of the match, Mukul had picked Heinrich Klaasen implicit respective apical wicketkeepers — including Quinton de Kock, Jos Buttler, KL Rahul, Jitesh Sharma, Sanju Samson and Prabhsimran Singh - successful a rapid-fire podcast.

But erstwhile asked to take betwixt Pant and Dhoni, the youngster smiled and admitted: “Phasa diya aapne… but MS Dhoni.”LSG volition adjacent look Gujarat Titans connected April 12 astatine the Ekana Cricket Stadium successful Lucknow.