Who will replace Ruturaj Gaikwad in the Chennai Super Kings squad? The question has been on all Indian Premier League buffs' minds ever since the CSK skipper was ruled out of the ongoing season due to an elbow fracture. The answer is Ayush Mhatre. (Schedule | Full Coverage | More Cricket News)
The 17-year-old Mumbai opener is set to join the Chennai-based franchise after the decision was made late on Saturday (April 13), according to a Cricbuzz report. Mhatre has been asked to join the franchise right away but the soonest he can do so is in two days, the report adds.
Mhatre has played nine first-class games for Mumbai, scoring 504 runs, including two hundreds and a half-century. He also represented Mumbai in seven list A games, during which he struck a record-breaking 181 against Nagaland to become the youngest player to score 150-plus in men's List A cricket. Mhatre had also smashed 148 against Saurashtra during the Vijay Hazare Trophy.
The youngster, however, was unsold in the IPL mega auction with a base price of INR 30 lakh. CSK had reportedly summoned Mhatre to Chennai for trials, with Urvil Patel of Gujarat, Salman Nizar of Uttar Pradesh and out-of-favour India batter Prithvi Shaw also said to be in the reckoning.
The Super Kings are having a torrid time in the 2025 season and lie bottom of the table with one win from six games so far. They are in Lucknow currently for their seventh match, which will be followed by a visit to the Wankhede Stadium to face Mumbai Indians on April 20.
