Minor Technical Change, A Phone Call before KKR Match: How Rohit Sharma's Coach Dinesh Lad trasnformed LSG sensation Mukul Choudhary

Mukul Choudhary has finally arrived. A Thursday evening at the Eden Gardens witnessed the class of Mukul as Lucknow Super Giants' young sensation played a sublime knock.

From the jaws of defeat, Mukul's unbeaten 54 off 27 gave Super Giants a stunning victory at the expense of Kolkata Knight Riders.

Choudhary's knock blended raw power with sharp cricketing intelligence. He launched audacious hits against Vaibhav Arora, Kartik Tyagi, and Cameron Green, including a stunning six over deep cover and a calculated assault that brought the equation down to manageable numbers. His fearless finishing evoked memories of his idol MS Dhoni, whose helicopter shot he has practised tirelessly.

Post-match, as Player of the Match, Choudhary reflected calmly: "My aim was to bat till the last and see what happens. It was only my second match. God has given me this opportunity; there can be pressure, but it is also an opportunity to make a name for myself."

He added, "I practise hitting 100-150 sixes every day. My body is a little powerful, and that has come to me naturally."

This stardom, however, is built on years of profound struggle. Hailing from a modest family in Jhunjhunu, Rajasthan, Mukul's journey was fuelled by his father Dalip Kumar Choudhary's unwavering obsession with cricket. The family faced severe financial hardships; Dalip sold their house, took massive loans, including a reported 3.5-crore gamble, endured failed businesses, and even faced jail time over debts to support his son's training at academies in Sikar and Jaipur.

Mukul started cricket relatively late, around 12-13 years of age, initially as a medium-pacer before transitioning to wicketkeeping and batting. His domestic performances, including a strike rate of nearly 199 in Rajasthan T20s, earned him a Rs 2.60-crore IPL contract, but the path was paved with sacrifice and resilience.

Dinesh Lad helped Mukul Choudhary

And as Mukul took his flight at the Eden Gardens, the last few months have been testing for him. After getting into the Rajasthan Ranji team, he had an underwhelming period, which saw him dropped from the side. Rajasthan legend Aniket Choudhary spoke highly of Mukul's temperament, but the young 21-year-old sought help from another person, Rohit Sharma's childhood coach Dinesh Lad.

Lad, who has been helpful for many players in the past, helped Mukul to correct some technical aspects. The player also spoke highly of Lad in a video, crediting the veteran coach for his role.

As MyKhel caught up with Lad in Mumbai on Friday, he gave the player the due credit, revealing exactly how he made a minor tweak in his grip.

"In technical aspects, he just had a minor issue with the grip. Apart from that, I did nothing. I instilled confidence in him. He is a top player, and with minor help, he changed everything. I asked him about the changes and he told me 'Sir, I am playing with a straighter bat now'. Everyone has the talent, but the most important thing is to advice him at the right time. I am not his coach, and he came ahead of the Ranji Trophy for just a few days."

A Crucial advice before KKR Clash

Not just that, Lad caught up with Mukul just three days before the Kolkata Knight Riders match, and gave crucial advice to the LSG youngster.

"I called him on Monday, and just told him to play in front of the wicket. He was trying to play back of the wicket, but thankfully, he played a lot more in front and performed. He concentrated on playing proper cricketing shots instead of fancy hits, which worked."

Mukul, amid his IPL coronation, has already made a strong impact. As the season progresses, the expectation will reach loftied heights, and Lad believes his student from Rajasthan has the ability to overcome the challenges ahead.