House Was Sold, Father Went to Jail... On That IPL Night, Mukul Choudhary Settled All Scores

A story emerging from Khedaro Ki Dhani—a small village in the Jhunjhunu district of Rajasthan—is currently making headlines on the grand stage of the IPL. It is the story of Mukul Choudhary; yet, in essence, it is equally a saga of a father's passion, his battle against debt and societal taunts, and his unshakeable belief.

In 2003—the same year he completed his graduation and got married—Mukul's father, Dalip Choudhary, harbored a specific dream: if he were blessed with a son, he would raise him to become a cricketer. The following year, Mukul was born, and with his arrival began a long and arduous struggle.

Dalip spent six years preparing for the Rajasthan Administrative Service (RAS) examinations, but success eluded him. Subsequently, he tried his hand at the real estate sector, but that venture, too, failed to take off. Yet, amidst these setbacks, his cherished dream remained unchanged.

In 2016, his quest for a superior cricket academy led him to Sikar, where he enrolled Mukul. It was here that the true test of their resolve began. With no steady source of income and expenses mounting steadily, Dalip made a momentous decision: he sold his home. Approximately ₹21 lakh was raised—a sum that was entirely invested in his son's cricket career.

During this period, even relatives abandoned them. He often had to endure taunts: "You’ve ruined your own life; at least spare your son." ...But these remarks only served to strengthen Dilip's resolve.

Mukul, too, witnessed these struggles firsthand. When the Lucknow Super Giants acquired him for ₹2.60 crore in the IPL auction, his very first promise was that he would repay his father's debts.

However, the pressure of the IPL is a different beast altogether. In a match against Sunrisers Hyderabad, he failed to steer his team to victory. Although Captain Rishabh Pant ultimately finished the match, that failure weighed heavily on Mukul's mind.

Batting magnificently under pressure, he subsequently led his team to victory. His 27-ball innings was not merely a score; it was a response—to himself, to his circumstances, and to all those who had ever doubted him.

He has left his mark on domestic cricket as well. In the 2025-26 Under-23 List A Trophy, he amassed 617 runs, including two centuries and four half-centuries. With 39 sixes, he finished as the tournament's leading six-hitter.

That innings played at Eden Gardens was not just a brilliant display of batting; it was the culmination of years of struggle, debt, taunts, and a father's unwavering faith.