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Mumbai opener Ayush Mhatre recently made his first-class debut and in his third match, scored a magnificent 176.
Ayush Mhatre made his first-class debut during the 2024 Irani Cup. (Pic Credit: IG/ayush_m255)
Chennai Super Kings will be in search of a quality batter at the IPL 2025 mega auctions later this month who will partner their captain Ruturaj Gaikwad at the top of the batting order next season. CSK didn’t retain either Rachin Ravindra or Devon Conway ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auctions meaning they have a vacant slot in the opening department.
And former CSK captain MS Dhoni is reportedly impressed with Mumbai’s Ayush Mhatre, a 17-year-old opener who recently made his professional debut.
Mhatre made his first-class debut in the recent 2024 Irani Cup during which Mumbai won based on their first innings lead over the Rest of India. He scored 19 and 14 during the contest as he opened the innings alongside Prithvi Shaw while facing the likes of Mukesh Kumar and Prasidh Krishna.
According to a report in The Times of India, having caught Dhoni’s attention, Mhatre has been called by CSK for selection trials during the break between the end of Mumbai’s fifth-round match of Ranji Trophy on November 16 and start of Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.
In October, the teenager made his Ranji Trophy debut and scored a half-century in the first innings against Baroda followed by 22.
He then hit the headlines with a sizzling century against Maharashtra that saw him rack up 176 off 232, an innings comprising 22 fours and four sixes with Mumbai storming to a nine-wicket win.
Overall, Mhatre has so far scored 321 runs from five first-class matches at an average of 35.66. He has also been included among Mumbai’s probables for the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy that starts from November 23.
According to TOI, CSK CEO Kasi Viswanathan shot an email to Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) secretary Abhay Hadap’s to permit Mhatre to attend the trials at the franchise’s High Performance Center in Navalur (Chennai).
After playing a key role in CSK’s title win last year, Conway missed the entire IPL 2024 due to a thumb injury. In his absence, allrounder Ravindra opened the innings for the five-time winners.
