To re-launch their IPL 2025 season, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have signed 17-Year-Old To Replace Ruturaj Gaikwad due to injury. Gaikwad was declared out of the rest of the season after fracturing his elbow.
CSK Selects 17-Year-Old To Replace Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ayush Mhatre Following Trials in Chennai
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According to a Cricbuzz report, the decision on a late signing was made on Saturday, April 13, after holding tryouts in Chennai.
The franchise invited several players, including Salman Nizar (Uttar Pradesh) and Urvil Patel (Gujarat), but eventually settled on Ayush Mhatre, a young potential opener from Mumbai. “The CSK nod came after the team just had Chennai for tryouts of Mhatre and a couple of others,” a source close to the franchise revealed.
Who is Ayush Mhatre?
The 17-year-old cricketing prodigy is one of Mumbai’s brightest stars. In only nine first-class games, Mhatre has scored 504 runs, with two centuries and a fifty. He has also impressed in List A cricket, scoring 458 runs in seven games, with two centuries to his credit.
He made his first-class debut in October 2024, and most cricket analysts in Mumbai are of the opinion that he will play for Team India soon.
When Will Mhatre Join CSK?
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While Mhatre has been summoned to the team, he will not be available immediately. Reports are that he will join the side in Mumbai within a matter of days. In the meantime, CSK are based in Lucknow, where they face their seventh game in the season at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Stadium on Monday evening.
His debut is likely to come on April 20, when CSK plays Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium.
CSK’s Troubles Continue in IPL 2025
The five-time IPL champions are in for a disappointing season so far. They are at the bottom of the points table with just one win and two points, having lost five consecutive games. The addition of a young, new talent like Mhatre is expected to bring about a change in fortunes.
Ayush Mhatre’s Journey: From Auction Snub to IPL Call-Up
Interestingly enough, Mhatre was unsold in the IPL 2025 auction, even at the base price of INR 30 lakh. But fortune has smiled on him as CSK now wants to experiment and rebuild by using young players.
There were also whispers about Prithvi Shaw being in the running, but the management decided to bet on Mhatre’s youth and form.
In coming in 17-year-old as a replacement to Ruturaj Gaikwad, CSK is well and truly stepping up to prepare future stars. Fans will await with bated breath to learn how Ayush Mhatre fares under the mentorship of MS Dhoni and whether he manages to turn the fortunes of CSK around during IPL 2025.
ALSO READ: IPL 2025: Updated Points Table After RR vs RCB Match 28 And DC vs MI Match 29
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