LSG's Mukul, Akshat touchdown in Manchester for off-season training camp
New Delhi, July 13
Indian Premier League franchise Lucknow Super Giants on Monday announced that their promising young batters, Mukul Choudhary and Akshat Raghuwanshi, have landed in Manchester for a specialised off-season training camp.
The duo will train under the watchful eyes of LSG head coach Justin Langer and the franchise's strategic advisor and ex-New Zealand captain Kane Williamson. "New conditions. New challenges. New learnings. Mukul & Akshat have landed in Manchester for a training camp with Justin Langer and Kane Williamson" wrote LSG on their social media accounts on Monday.
Both Langer and Williamson are currently in England in preparation for the upcoming season of The Hundred men's competition, where they will be in coaching capacities for the Aiden Markram-led Manchester Super Giants (MSG), a franchise also owned by LSG's parent company, the RPSG Group.
Wicketkeeper-batter Choudhary, who plays domestic cricket for Rajasthan, showcased his finishing capabilities during the recent IPL season via a match-winning 54 not out to take LSG over the line in a thrilling chase against the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the Eden Gardens, though the side eventually finished at the bottom spot of the points table.
In all, Choudhary made 170 runs in ten games at a strike-rate of 141.66. Meanwhile, Raghuwanshi, who represents Madhya Pradesh in the domestic cricket circuit, played three games, but could only make 29 runs.
With the duo now in England, their stint under Langer and Williamson will focus heavily on technical adaptations for succeeding on England's pitches and how to level up as modern-day batters in the ever-evolving world of T20 cricket.
Last month, LSG brought in left-arm wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav into their set-up for Rs 13.5 crore for next year's season after trading their former captain Rishabh Pant to the Delhi Capitals.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Honestly, I'm a bit skeptical. This sounds like a luxury junket for players who didn't exactly set the IPL on fire. Akshat only managed 29 runs in three games. Instead of expensive overseas camps, maybe LSG should focus on domestic coaching and Ranji Trophy preparation. But I hope they prove me wrong.
This is what happens when you have a global franchise network! MSG and LSG sharing resources makes perfect sense. Mukul's knock against KKR was sheer class - 54* at Eden Gardens under pressure. Kane Williamson guiding our young batters is like a dream come true for Indian cricket fans. Kohli, Rahul, and now these young guns learning from the best!
Smart investment by LSG. Instead of just buying stars at auctions, they're developing raw talent. Mukul has that X-factor with his aggressive batting, and Akshat has technique. Under Justin Langer's discipline and Kane Williamson's calm head, they'll become complete players. Manchester weather will test their patience too! 😄
I really hope this isn't just a PR exercise. Our domestic players often go overseas for camps and come back with the same flaws. But having Langer - a former Australian coach - personally overseeing their technical adjustments is promising. The real test will be whether they can apply these learnings in next year's IPL or against quality bowling in England.
Wow! Two young Indian batters training with Kane Williamson in England. What a privilege! This is how we bridge the gap between domestic and international cricket. Mukul's 170 runs at 141 strike rate shows he has the skills, Akshat just
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