Mumbai, April 20 (IANS) Youngsters making blockbuster debuts seem to be becoming a part of the script for the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 as 17-year-old Ayush Mhatre got off to a sensational start in his first match in the world’s biggest T20 franchise league.
Handed a debut by Chennai Super Kings on his home ground, the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai youngster Mhatre blasted a 15-ball 32, coming in as a replacement for Rahul Tripathi.
A day after 14-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi started his IPL career with a six off the first delivery he faced playing for Rajasthan Royals against Lucknow Super Giants, Mhatre smashed two sixes and a four in the first five balls he faced.
Mhatre, another batting prodigy from the Mumbai maidans, literally travels far and wide for his cricket, daily making an 80-km commute one-way from the suburban Virar to South Mumbai to learn and play cricket.
Coming to bat in the fourth over after fellow youngster Ashwani Kumar had sent back Rachin Ravindra (5) off his first delivery, Mhatre survived a scare on the first ball he faced as he nearly chipped it to the mid-off fielder.
But he exploded into action on the second ball, getting off the mark with a four off a fullish cross-seam delivery outside off. The next ball was on the pads, and Mhatre used his wrist to dump it over the midwicket boundary. The next ball was pitched short, and Mhatre pulled him into the crowd for another six as he scored 17 runs off four balls in that over.
He struck three more fours to Chahar in the next two overs as CSK crossed 50 runs soon after the power-play. However, Chahar had the last laugh as he sent Mhatre back to the dugout, getting him to slice a slow leg-cutter off the toe end of his bat to Mitchell Santner at long-on.
Only Santner had some impact on him as the experienced New Zealand spinner kept Mhatre quiet in the only over he bowled to the Mumbai youngster. Mhatre scored 32 off 15 balls.
Mhatre, earlier this year, made a sensational debut in first-class cricket for Mumbai, scoring his maiden century in his third game. He also smashed 181 off 117 balls in the Vijay Hazare Trophy to become the youngest to hit 150 or more in an innings.
Despite such performances, he went unsold in the 2025 IPL auction. But an injury to CSK captain Ruturaj Gaikwad opened up an opportunity, and the 17-year-old Mhatre grabbed it with both hands. He will now be hoping that he gets more opportunities in IPL 2025 and would love to make the most of those chances too.
Experts who have keenly watched the Mumbai Maidans and seen talents like Sachin Tendulkar, Vinod Kambli, Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Prithvi Shaw blossom into brilliant batters have huge expectations from Mhatre. On Sunday, the 17-year-old proved that he has the courage and conviction to follow his dream.
–IANS
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