17-year-old Ayush Mhatre set to replace Ruturaj Gaikwad at Chennai Super Kings

Dubai: Ayush Mhatre, a 17-year-old cricketer, is set to replace injured Ruturaj Gaikwad at Chennai Super Kings for the remainder of the IPL 2025 season.

CSK chose the talented youngster Mhatre from Mumbai after calling him for trials earlier in the season.

Ruturaj suffered an elbow injury during the CSK's match against Rajasthan Royals and has been ruled of the tournament.

Mhatre has had an impressive run in the domestic circuit. He has played nine first-class games for Mumbai, scoring two centuries and a half century. The batter has also featured for Mumbai in seven list A games in which he has a high score of 181 against Nagaland. He also scored 148 against Saurashtra during the Vijay Hazare Trophy.

"I started to play when I was 6 but my real cricket started when I was 10," the teenage batting sensation told The Indian Express last year. "I got admission in Don Bosco High School in Matunga and it was my grandfather Laxmikant Naik (Nana) who took the responsibility to take me there every day. So in the morning, I used to go for practice in Matunga, attend school, and then go to Churchgate to attend another practice. My family used to tell my grandfather not to ruin my sleep but now, they too feel that my sacrifice is paying off."

Born in 2007, the right-handed opening batter, Mhatre was also a vital member of the India U-19 squad at the Asia Cup in 2024. He finished as the second-highest run-scorer for his team, tallying 176 runs across five innings at a strike rate of over 135 and an average of 44. He is expected to join the squad ahead of their marquee clash against the Mumbai Indians on April 20.