Rajasthan wicketkeeper-batter Mukul Choudhary was snapped up by Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) for INR 2.6 crore at the IPL 2026 mini-auction held in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday, December 16. The 21-year-old entered the auction on the back of a match-winning performance against Delhi in the ongoing Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, which significantly boosted his value.
Still in the early stages of his domestic career, Mukul’s price tag came as a surprise to many. With just two years of senior domestic cricket behind
him, a INR 2.6 crore bid represented a major vote of confidence in his potential. Rajasthan Royals (RR) initiated the bidding at his base price of INR 30 lakh, while Mumbai Indians (MI) soon entered the fray despite operating with a limited purse. MI exited at INR 90 lakh, after which LSG joined the contest. RR stayed in until INR 2.4 crore before pulling out, allowing LSG to secure the young wicketkeeper-batter.
Originally from Rajasthan, Mukul shifted to Jaipur a few years ago after catching the attention of junior selectors. He trained at the Aravali Cricket Academy alongside Kartik Sharma and Ashok Sharma, both of whom also earned IPL contracts this season. Mukul made his first-class debut against Chhattisgarh in January 2023 but has had a modest start in red-ball cricket, scoring 51 runs in three matches at an average of 12.75, with a highest score of 45.
However, it is in the shorter formats where Mukul has truly impressed. He made his T20 debut against Jharkhand in October 2023, scoring 35 runs while opening the innings. In seven T20 matches so far, he has accumulated 210 runs at an impressive average of 42, including a highest score of an unbeaten 62. Notably, Mukul was in action for Rajasthan against Mumbai in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy on the day of the auction, scoring a half-century.
Mukul also featured in Rajasthan’s Under-23 and Men’s State A Trophy squads, where he emerged as the standout performer. He amassed 617 runs in the tournament at a staggering average of 102.83, underlining his consistency and maturity. He is known as a clean striker of the ball and has gradually developed into a reliable finisher.
