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Chennai Super Kings (CSK), the five-time IPL champs, are in a rut. With just one win in three games—a gritty triumph over arch-rivals Mumbai Indians—and two stinging losses, the Yellow Brigade is stuck at seventh on the IPL 2025 points table. But hope might be on the horizon, and it comes in the form of a 17-year-old Mumbai prodigy: Ayush Mhatre.
CSK has called up the young opener for mid-season trials, a move that’s got fans buzzing and pundits speculating. According to The Times of India, Mhatre, who went unsold at the IPL 2025 mega-auction in Jeddah last November, could be the lifeline CSK needs if a season-ending injury strikes one of their stars. “Yes, we’ve called him for trials. He has impressed our talent scouts,” CSK Managing Director Kasi Viswanathan confirmed. “No injuries yet, but if there’s a need, we’ll consider him. For now, it’s just a trial.”
Mhatre’s journey to Chennai is as compelling as his stats. He trekked south from Rajkot, where he was sharpening his skills at the BCCI’s National Cricket Academy U-19 zonal camp, to join CSK’s training setup. This isn’t his first rodeo with the franchise either—CSK had him on their radar back in November, inviting him for trials before the auction. Though no team bid for him then, his recent exploits have clearly kept him in the spotlight.
Mhatre’s no stranger to making headlines. In December, during a Vijay Hazare Trophy (VHT) clash against Nagaland, the 17-year-old smashed a jaw-dropping 181 off 117 balls, setting a world record as the youngest player to score 150+ in men’s List A cricket. At 17 years and 168 days, he eclipsed Yashasvi Jaiswal’s mark (17 years and 291 days), another Mumbai gem who’d achieved the feat in 2019. That knock wasn’t a fluke—Mhatre topped Mumbai’s VHT charts with 458 runs in seven games, averaging a stunning 65.42, including a match-winning ton against Saurashtra in January.
His red-ball credentials are just as impressive. In the Ranji Trophy, Mhatre racked up 471 runs in eight matches, with two centuries, finishing as Mumbai’s fourth-highest scorer. His latest outing, though—a modest 9 and 18 in the semifinal against Vidarbha in February—shows he’s still a work in progress. But at 17, with no T20 experience yet, the kid’s potential is off the charts.
CSK’s interest in Mhatre isn’t just a whim. Their talent scouts and top brass—including whispers of legendary MS Dhoni’s nod—see something special. While the team hasn’t named him as an immediate replacement, the door’s wide open for him to step in if injury woes hit. With a batting lineup that’s struggled to fire consistently this season, Mhatre’s aggressive yet composed style could be the spark CSK needs.
Picture this: a teenager who’s never played a T20 match walks into the IPL cauldron at Chepauk, wielding a bat that’s already broken records. It’s a gamble, sure, but CSK has a knack for turning raw talent into gold—just ask Ruturaj Gaikwad or Shivam Dube.
For now, Mhatre’s at trials, not in the playing XI. CSK’s cautious approach -“we’re not picking anybody yet,” says Viswanathan—means he’s still an ace up their sleeve. But if he shines in these sessions, and fate deals CSK an injury blow, don’t be surprised to see this Mumbai marvel don the yellow jersey.
From rewriting record books to catching the eye of a franchise dynasty, Ayush Mhatre’s story is just beginning. Will he be CSK’s mid-season savior? Only time—and maybe a twist of IPL luck—will tell.
Stay tuned for more IPL 2025 drama as it unfolds!
