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After Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Can Ayush Mhatre Be Another Teen-Ager To Make IPL Debut?

Debashis Sarangi

Ayush Mhatre has joined CSK [Source: AP, @mufaddal_vohra/X]Ayush Mhatre has joined CSK [Source: AP, @mufaddal_vohra/X]

This evening, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) will take on arch-rivals Mumbai Indians (MI) in the 38th group-stage match of the ongoing IPL 2025 season. The high-octane face-off is scheduled at the iconic Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. 

Recently, CSK brought in young batter Ayush Mhatre as a replacement for injured skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad. As the Mumbai prodigy continues to grab the limelight, cricket fans have become curious to know if he will participate in the upcoming clash against MI. 

Will Ayush Mhatre Play Today?

Ayush Mhatre grabbed the limelight through a string of impressive outings at junior level. After hammering 176 runs at an average of 44 and a belligerent strike rate of 135.38 in the u19 Asia Cup, Mhatre showcased his prowess in the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2024-25, slamming 458 runs at an average of 65.43 and a strike rate of 135.50. 

Considering his exploits, the Super Kings called him for trials before signing him as Gaikwad's injury replacement. Having said that, CSK also replaced Gurjapneet Singh with Dewald Brevis, who is more experienced than Mhatre, having participated in T20 leagues all around the world. 

As Shaik Rasheed is likely to retain his place following his brisk 27-run cameo against LSG, there could be a toss-up between Mhatre and Brevis for the number three batter's role, with Rahul Tripathi not living up to the expectations. 

Who Misses Out If Brevis Plays?

If they prefer Brevis over Mhatre, they will have to exclude Jamie Overton, who gives them an additional bowling option. 

However, considering they have five proper bowling options- Ravindra Jadeja, Anshul Kamboj, Khaleel Ahmed, Noor Ahmad and Matheesha Pathirana - the Super Kings might take the bold call to strengthen their batting unit. 

The five-time champions could bring either Ravichandran Ashwin or Shreyas Gopal into the mix, as they can be handy lower-order batters besides chipping in with a few overs of spin. 

Can CSK Accommodate Both Mhatre And Brevis?

Given that Rasheed, Ravindra, Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja and MS Dhoni are certain starters, CSK can create a vacancy for Ayush Mhatre if they drop Vijay Shankar. However, Shankar has performed much better than Tripathi, scoring 118 runs at an average of 39.33 and a strike rate of 129.67. So, he is unlikely to get dropped, at least for this match. 

Conclusion

Thus, Ayush Mhatre's participation in the upcoming MI vs CSK clash seems slightly bleak; and we expect him to wait a bit more to make his IPL debut in the yellow jersey.