In 27 balls, Chaudhary flipped the script in Lucknow’s favour and stole the victory from the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR)

On the evening of April 9, the Indian Premier League (IPL) once again witnessed a nobody becoming a hero for his team, i.e., Mukul Chaudhary, who stole a victory from KKR for his side, the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG). Believe us or not, but Google struggled to find a picture of Mukul during the game on Google’s live match score system. At the iconic Eden Gardens, Chaudhary made sure that everybody knew his name.

MUKUL CHOUDHARY REMEMBER THIS NAME !! ❤️

Only 3 % chances for LSG, Needs 54 Runs in 24 balls. Smashed 7 Sixes. A 21 years old boy. Finish the unbelievable match. His Six hitting ability is Wow 🤯 pic.twitter.com/40Tl0gH3DM

— VIKAS (@Vikas662005) April 9, 2026

And while Chaudhary deserves all the credit and limelight, one man and his little cricket academy in a quaint suburb of Jaipur deserve a shoutout.

Aravali Cricket Club

Aakash Chopra credited Mukul Choudhary’s success to Vivek Yadav, who was part of Rajasthan’s Ranji Trophy-winning squads in 2010–11 and 2011–12.

He shares an emotional story behind it. pic.twitter.com/MjUEWg6lax

— Cricketopia (@CricketopiaCom) April 10, 2026

A brainchild of Vivek Yadav, the Aravali Cricket Academy started off as the Aravali Cricket Club in Hathoj, Jaipur. Yadav had little money to sustain a full-scale cricket academy, which is undoubtedly an expensive venture. Therefore, he started off by leasing a school ground. A modest club meant players from middle-class backgrounds could pursue cricket without burning a hole in their pockets – Vivek Yadav made sure of that.

Who is Vivek Yadav?

He Left Us in 2021, but Vivek Yadav’s Signature is Written All Over Today's IPL Scorecards🏟️

🎯The Story of Vivek Yadav:
📍Vivek Yadav was a talented leg-spinner who played a crucial role in Rajasthan's back-to-back Ranji Trophy titles (2010–11 and 2011–12).
📍Playing Career: He… https://t.co/CnRNLiTsxU pic.twitter.com/SsSaN2Kd0W

— AkCricTalks🎤🇮🇳 (@AKCricTalks) April 9, 2026

Never played for India at any level, but Yadav was a passionate legbreak bowler who was part of Rajasthan’s Ranji team that won the tournament back-to-back in 2010 and 2011. He was even picked up by the Delhi Daredevils in 2011 but did not play a game. However, he himself had the talent for spotting talent early, and therefore, he gave up playing to become a coach, founding the Aravali Cricket Academy.

Unfortunately, his life was cut short at the age of 36 when, in 2019, he passed away due to an illness.

Multiple proteges

A brilliant catch by Mohammed Siraj 🔥✅

Ashok Sharma dismisses the dangerous Shimron Hetmyer for 18 off just 8 balls ❌

RR: 165/4 (15.3)#Cricket #IPL2026 #GTvRR #Sportskeeda pic.twitter.com/dbKvJvhNU3

— Sportskeeda (@Sportskeeda) April 4, 2026

This season, Mukul Chaudhary is not the only player from the Aravali Cricket Academy. Gujarat Titans’ seamer Ashok Sharma, who bowled the fastest delivery in the IPL 2026 at 154.2 km/ph against Dhruv Jurel, is also from late Vivek Yadav’s academy. Even Kartik Sharma, who became one of the most expensive uncapped players in the 2025 mini auction picked by the Chennai Super Kings at INR 14.2 crore, also hails from the same academy.

After Yadav passed away, his brother Vikas Yadav continued running the academy, keeping his late brother’s dream and vision alive. The small club has now grown into a full-scale residential cricket club, and at the helm of coaching is head coach Jagsimran Singh, who hopes to continue bringing more talent to the top level of Indian cricket from places that are off the map.