MS Dhoni impressed by 17-year-old Ayush Mhatre, CSK ask him to report for selection trials: Reports
Former Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain MS Dhoni is said to be very impressed with Mumbai's 17-year-old opener Ayush Mhatre. As per reports, CSK, the five-time IPL-winning franchise, have asked the young cricketer to report for the selection trials later in the month.
Mhatre made his first-class debut for Mumbai against Rest of India in Lucknow in the Irani Cup in October this year. In five matches (nine innings) so far, he has scored 321 runs at an average of 35.66, with one hundred and one half-century.
As per a report in The Times of India (TOI), CSK have asked Mhatre to report for the selection trials during the six-day break between the fifth round of the 2024-25 Ranji Trophy (which ends on November 16) and the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Trophy, which gets underway on November 23.
Mhatre is part of Mumbai's probables for the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. The TOI report added that CSK CEO Kasi Viswanathan emailed Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) secretary Abhay Hadap last month, requesting the association to grant permission to Mhatre to attend CSK's selection trials.
Ayush Mhatre's performance in first-class cricket
The Mumbai opening batter registered scores of 19 & 14 on first-class debut against Rest of India in the Irani Cup. He followed it up with scores of 52 & 22 in the Ranji Trophy clash against Baroda in Vadodara.
Mhatre grabbed the limelight when he smashed 176 in the first innings of the Ranji Trophy match against Maharashtra at the Sharad Pawar Cricket Academy BKC, in Mumbai. Responding to Maharashtra's 126, Mumbai put up 441 as Mhatre top-scored with 176, a 232-ball knock that featured 22 fours and four sixes.
While the youngster was named the Player of the Match for his batting heroics against Maharashtra, he has struggled in the last couple of Ranji Trophy matches. The 17-year-old was dismissed for 4 & 1 against Tripura in Agartala and made only 18 against Odisha in Mumbai.
With the IPL 2025 mega auction scheduled to be held in Jeddah on November 24 and 25, Chennai Super Kings' reported interest in Mumbai's young opener Mhatre is a rather significant development.