Chennai Super Kings surprised everyone by picking 17-year-old Ayush Mhatre for their match against Mumbai Indians on Sunday (April 20) at the Wankhede Stadium. Ayush plays domestic cricket for Mumbai and joined CSK recently as a replacement for their captain, Ruturaj Gaikwad, who is injured. Even though he is very young, just 17 years and 278 days old, Ayush was given a chance to bat at number 3 for CSK. He replaced Rahul Tripathi in the playing eleven and is now the youngest player ever to debut for CSK in the IPL.

CSK usually goes with experienced players, but this time they trusted a young talent. Ayush’s selection shows the team is ready to try something new in a big match. Ayush made his debut in first-class cricket for Mumbai during the Irani Cup in 2024-25. In nine matches, he has scored 504 runs with an average of 31.50, including two centuries. He has also played seven List A matches and scored two more centuries.

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Ayush Mhatre’s Cricket Journey So Far

At the IPL 2025 auction, Ayush had a base price of ₹30 lakh but was not picked by any team. Later, CSK called him for trials and liked his attacking batting style. They signed him for the same amount after Gaikwad’s injury. He also did well in the Under-19 Asia Cup recently, scoring 176 runs in five matches with a strike rate of 135.38In the Navi Mumbai T20, he hit a 21-ball half-century, indicating his power-hitting ability.

Contrariwise, the Mumbai Indians have made a single substitution. Fast bowler Ashwani Kumar plays in place of injured spinner Karn Sharma. Ashwani came with an impressive debut this season, picking 4 wickets and earning the Player of the Match award. Ayush Mhatre, a big fan of Rohit Sharma, will now play against his hometown team in one of the biggest matches of his young career. CSK fans will be hoping he plays a good knock and helps the team win at Wankhede.