Ayush Mhatre's debut was etched into the CSK history books. He is not only the youngest player to ever play for the Super Kings, breaking a record held by Abhinav Mukund since the inaugural 2008 season, but also the first player under the age of 18 to wear the yellow jersey
History unfolded at the Wankhede Stadium on Sunday as 17-year-old Ayush Mhatre didn't just make his Indian Premier League (IPL) debut for Chennai Super Kings (CSK), he smashed records in the process. (Match Live Blog | Schedule | Teams | Points Table)
Playing against arch-rivals Mumbai Indians (MI) on his home ground, the Mumbai native became the youngest player ever to represent the five-time champions.
Drafted into the squad as an injury replacement for skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad and immediately thrust into the playing XI for Rahul Tripathi under the leadership of MS Dhoni, Mhatre seized his opportunity with both hands. The teenager announced his arrival on the big stage with a dazzling, quick-fire knock of 32 runs off a mere 15 balls.
Walking onto his home turf, the youngster displayed remarkable confidence, taking the attack to the MI bowlers. His aggressive innings was laced with four boundaries and two towering sixes, showcasing his potential before his cameo was ended by Deepak Chahar.
Mhatre's debut was etched into the CSK history books. He is not only the youngest player to ever play for the Super Kings, breaking a record held by Abhinav Mukund since the inaugural 2008 season, but also the first player under the age of 18 to wear the yellow jersey.
His boundary-hitting feats also set new benchmarks. Mhatre became the first teenager ever to hit a boundary for CSK, surpassing Sameer Rizvi, who achieved the feat aged 20 in the 2024 season.
His score of 32 marks the first time a CSK player under 21 has crossed the 30-run mark in an innings for the franchise. The previous highest score by a player younger than Mhatre belonged to Suresh Raina (53 runs at 21 years, 138 days in 2008), who interestingly also scored 32 on his own CSK debut that same year.
Furthermore, Mhatre's six-hitting placed him among esteemed company league-wide, becoming the fifth youngest player in IPL history to clear the boundary ropes.