Lucknow Super Giants pulled off a heist against Kolkata Knight Riders, riding on ‘Fearless Prodigy’ Mukul Choudhary’s match-winning half-century. Speaking on JioHotstar’s ‘Google Search AI Mode Match Centre Live’, LSG Head Coach Justin Langer and JioStar expert Faf du Plessis shared their thoughts on Choudhary’s knock, his similarities to legends Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni, and the impact a close win can have on a team environment.
Speaking on JioHotstar’s ‘Google Search AI Mode Match Centre Live’, LSG Head Coach Justin Langer recollected Mukul Choudhary’s journey:
“We saw him at a training camp a few months ago. There is so much talent in this country. A real big shout-out goes to Shrinivas, our data analyst, who said, ‘Coach, we have got to get this kid,’. What I love the most is that he is a real athlete, and the way he runs between the wickets is elite. It is like how Virat runs between the wickets, but the other thing about him is his game sense. We have had some practice games, and the way he talks about the game is like he has been playing 300 matches. So, he has got some power, he is a great athlete, and he has got a sharp brain. He has a very curious mind and wants to get better. He went away and worked on the short ball. We have been doing drills with him every day, and then it came out in practice and in the game.”
On his thoughts when LSG needed 54 off the last four overs:
“I was probably thinking about what I was going to say to our players. I thought we bowled brilliantly on this wicket; we were outstanding. I actually jotted that down, and regardless of whether we win or lose, our bowling was excellent, and our fielding was elite as well. So, I was really pleased with that, but we also talked about taking responsibility, and we saw a 22-year-old kid taking responsibility, what an effort it was.”
On how close wins bring the team together:
“If you win the close ones, you get that little bit of belief, don’t you? It doesn’t matter whether you do it with the ball or with the bat, these tight wins are like a magic tonic. So, hopefully, it is a bit of a confidence booster that we like at the start of the season, and we have got a lot of upside left in our game as well.”
Speaking on JioHotstar’s ‘Google Search AI Mode Match Centre Live’, JioStar expert Faf du Plessis summed up KKR’s season so far:
“You get little moments in the season where it can almost be defined, and you look back and think, ‘If that had just gone our way, the season would have looked a lot different.’ This is one of those moments for LSG, finishing the game and getting across the line when they shouldn’t have, with a player who is inexperienced but has the pedigree to take the game through. On the other side, KKR will feel that the rub of the green is not going their way. They are a team that has now had three losses and one rained-off game, those 50-50 moments are just not falling in their favour. I think back to the first ball of the last over, when an easy single was on offer for Avesh. Those are the kinds of things you have to make sure you are switched on for as a team if you want to get across the line.”
On Mukul Choudhary’s power:
“It’s incredible to see the awareness to take the game through. The power from the young man, unbelievable batting. What a game of cricket, with lots of ebbs and flows, and stealing it towards the end. Some of the shots reminded me of watching MS Dhoni back in the day, especially those flick shots, so much power.”
