Nothing seems to be going right for the Chennai Super Kings this season. They have been underwhelming, losing all but one match this season, and have also lost their captain Ruturaj Gaikwad due to an elbow fracture. Gaikwad endured the injury during a game against the Punjab Kings, which ruled him out of the season. Chennai Super Kings has announced Ayush Mhatre, a 17-year-old batting sensation from Mumbai, as his replacement.
But who is Ayush Mhatre, and what makes this teenager the talk of the IPL?
All You Need to Know About Ayush Mhatre, The CSK Latest Signing
Born on July 16, 2007, in Virar, a suburb of Mumbai, Mhatre is a right-handed opening batsman whose rapid rise in domestic cricket has marked him as a prodigy. Despite his young age, he has already carved a niche for himself with stellar performances across formats. Hailing from humble beginnings, he would wake up at 4:15 AM to catch a train from Virar to Mumbai’s Oval Maidan for practice, a testament to his dedication.
In just nine first-class matches, Mhatre has amassed 504 runs, including two centuries, showcasing his ability to anchor innings with maturity beyond his years. His List A record is even more striking—458 runs in seven matches at an average of 65.42, with a record-breaking 181 off 162 balls against Nagaland in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, making him the youngest batter to score 150-plus in men’s List A cricket. This knock, laced with 11 sixes and 15 fours, announced his arrival as a fearless stroke-maker.
How Chennai Super Kings Signed Ayush Mhatre?
Mhatre’s journey to CSK began with mid-season trials at Chepauk, where his aggressive batting and composure caught the eye of the franchise’s talent scouts. Reports suggest that even MS Dhoni, CSK’s legendary figure and current stand-in captain, was impressed by the teenager’s poise during these sessions. Mhatre’s inclusion comes at a critical juncture for CSK, who are languishing at the bottom of the IPL 2025 points table with just one win in six games. His potential debut against Mumbai Indians on April 20, 2025, at Wankhede Stadium—his home turf—adds a poetic twist to his story.
Interestingly, Mhatre is yet to play a professional T20 match, making his leap to the IPL a bold gamble by CSK, known for nurturing young talent like Ravichandran Ashwin and Matheesha Pathirana.
Off the field, Mhatre’s humility shines through. A self-confessed Rohit Sharma fan, he penned a viral note expressing awe at sharing a dressing room with his idol during a Ranji Trophy match, a gesture that highlighted his grounded nature. He also bowls occasional off-spin, adding versatility to his game, and has claimed seven List-A wickets, including that of India’s Abhishek Sharma.
As CSK pins its hopes on Mhatre to revive its campaign, the cricketing world watches eagerly. With Dhoni’s mentorship and a platform as big as the IPL, this Mumbai teenager could be on the cusp of stardom.
