Mukul Choudhary
The 22-year-old wicketkeeper-batter from Jhunjhunu has this season endured a turbulent domestic campaign marked by bizarre selection calls. The shuffling peaked when he was named for the third match, only to be abruptly replaced by Vishal Harsh the next day and relegated to the Under-23 setup. True to form, the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) finisher responded emphatically, smashing 112 off 129 balls against Mumbai in his first CK Nayudu Trophy game. He was then handed the U-23 captaincy after original skipper Himanshu Nehra was promoted to the senior squad, only for the selection dynamics to pivot again on Saturday with his own inclusion into Rajasthan’s T20 squad for the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. After leading the U-23 side to an outright victory over Bihar on Friday, Mukul is now home for Diwali. Recalling early missed opportunities, Mukul says, “I was dismissed for just 16 in my first game, and in the next match, I missed two or three full tosses.
Even though we won, I went back to my hotel room feeling completely dejected. JAIPUR: Mukul Choudhary isn’t one to dwell on selection twists. After an ankle injury saw Sumit Godara replace him in the first game, a fully fit Mukul was entirely omitted from Rajasthan’s second Ranji Trophy match. In a candid chat with TOI, the youngster reflects on his whirlwind journey, tactical growth, and an off-season developmental stint in the UK, remaining focused on letting his bat do the talking. The road wasn’t smooth. At this level, you rarely get second chances.”
I just want to keep scoring runs, prove myself every single day, and let the bat do the talking,” the youngster says. Whether talking about his domestic grind or shifting formats, Mukul’s focus remains singular. “Be it LSG or Rajasthan, or red-ball or white-ball, the goal is to win matches for the team. You cannot let success alter your intensity.
Mukul admits he never anticipated fetching a massive deal of Rs 2.6 crore. “My domestic season was going well, and after performing in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2025-26, my confidence grew. I was the highest run-scorer across all three practice matches, even won one game single-handedly.
“I never thought I’d command such a price tag,” he says. “When I joined, there was an open slot in the middle order,” he shares. “Our batting coach was Lance Klusener and he told me directly: ‘For you, the practice matches are your selection matches. “I was batting quite defensively,” Mukul remembers. He told me, ‘What are you doing?
A couple of franchises, specifically MI and RCB, called me for trials. So while I knew some team might pick me, I certainly didn’t expect to secure such a substantial contract. ” Breaking into the playing XI required treating internal practice matches like qualifiers. Play them with that mindset if you want to make the final XI. That paved my way into the side, which is no small feat for an uncapped player. “Rishabh bhai noticed it and intervened. Express yourself and play your natural game… We believe in you, you will get your opportunities, and you have to back yourself to deliver. Later, on the team bus, he called me over and reinforced that confidence.”