Mumbai Indians captain Hardik Pandya won the toss on Sunday and opted to bowl first against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in their Indian Premier League (IPL) match. MI made no changes to their playing XI, while CSK made one alteration, bringing in Ayush Mhatre in place of Rahul Tripathi. Notably, Ayush was signed by CSK as a replacement for Ruturaj Gaikwad, who was ruled out of the tournament due to injury. The franchise roped him in for INR 30 lakhs. Interestingly, Ayush had gone unsold in the IPL 2025 Mega Auction.
Who is 17-year-old Ayush Mhatre?
Ayush Mhatre is a talented and well-known right-handed batsman who plays domestic cricket for Mumbai. At just 17 years and 278 days old, he became the youngest player ever to debut for CSK in the IPL, donning the iconic yellow jersey. While his innings ended when Deepak Chahar dismissed him, Ayush left a mark before that.
He smashed a quickfire 32 runs off just 15 balls, showcasing his immense potential. Prior to the IPL, Ayush had already played in India’s major domestic tournaments — the Vijay Hazare Trophy and Ranji Trophy. He has scored 458 runs in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, and 471 runs including three centuries in the Ranji Trophy. So far, Mhatre has played 9 First-Class matches and 7 List A games, amassing around 1,000 runs across formats.
In his IPL debut, he struck two sixes and four fours, taking on bowlers like Ashwini Kumar and Deepak Chahar with composure. Even short balls were dispatched into the stands effortlessly by the youngster.
Similarity with Rohit Sharma
Mhatre’s batting has a subdued rhythm. When in full flow, there’s a familiar grace that reminds you of Rohit Sharma. The front-foot pull, the calculated forward press, and the trigger action all evoked the former MI skipper. In addition to smashing powerful MI bowlers like Jasprit Bumrah, Ashwani Kumar, and Deepak Chahar, the 17-year-old established his dominance in CSK’s starting lineup.
Mhatre just finished a successful domestic campaign. not just in white-ball cricket but also in red-ball cricket. His poise in the face of Ashwani Kumar, a slick customer who rushes you more than you might anticipate, was noteworthy, though. The child handled him with composure, selecting lines ahead of time and having faith in his abilitie
Youngest Players to Debut for CSK in IPL History
1. Ayush Mhatre – 17 years and 278 days
- Debut Match: CSK vs Mumbai Indians, IPL 2025
- Venue: Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai
- Ayush Mhatre became the youngest-ever player to debut for CSK when he was included in the playing XI against MI. A promising right-handed batter from Mumbai’s domestic circuit, he was signed mid-season as a replacement for the injured Ruturaj Gaikwad. On debut, Ayush impressed with a quickfire 32 off 15 balls, hitting 2 sixes and 4 boundaries, showcasing flair and confidence well beyond his years.
2. Abhinav Mukund – 18 years and 139 days
- Debut Match: CSK vs Rajasthan Royals, IPL 2008
- Venue: MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai
- A highly-rated opener from Tamil Nadu, Abhinav Mukund was given an early break during the inaugural IPL season. Though his IPL career didn’t take off as expected, he later made it to India’s Test team, known for his solid technique and temperament in red-ball cricket.
3. Ankit Rajpoot – 19 years and 123 days
- Debut Match: CSK vs Mumbai Indians, IPL 2013
- Venue: Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai
- A fast bowler from Uttar Pradesh, Ankit Rajpoot made his IPL debut for CSK in 2013. Although opportunities were limited, he made his mark with pace and bounce, eventually going on to play for other IPL franchises like KKR and KXIP where he delivered notable performances.
4. Matheesha Pathirana – 19 years and 148 days
- Debut Match: CSK vs Gujarat Titans, IPL 2022
- Venue: MCA Stadium, Pune
- Hailing from Sri Lanka and often dubbed “Junior Malinga” for his slingy bowling action, Pathirana burst onto the scene with raw pace and toe-crushing yorkers. He made an instant impact in his debut match, picking up key wickets and later became a regular feature in CSK’s pace attack.
