Five-time Indian Premier League (IPL) champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have invited 17-year-old Mumbai opener Ayush Mhatre for mid-season trials, as reported by The Times of India. The youngster, who went unsold in the IPL 2025 mega-auction in Jeddah, could be a potential addition to the squad in case of any season-ending injuries.
Mhatre, currently attending BCCI’s National Cricket Academy’s zonal camp for U-19 players in Rajkot, has traveled south for the trials with CSK. The franchise’s managing director, Kasi Viswanathan, confirmed the development, stating:
“Yes, we’ve called him for trials. He has impressed our talent scouts. No injuries as of now; if there is any need, we will consider it. We are not picking anybody yet; it is just a trial.”
The young batter was last seen in action in Mumbai’s Ranji Trophy semifinal against Vidarbha in Nagpur, where he managed scores of 9 and 18 in two innings. Despite the underwhelming performance, he finished as Mumbai’s fourth-highest run-scorer in the Ranji Trophy with 471 runs in eight matches, including two centuries.
Mhatre also shined in the Vijay Hazare Trophy (VHT) earlier this year, where he smashed a match-winning century against Saurashtra. He finished as Mumbai’s top run-scorer in the tournament, scoring 458 runs in seven matches at an impressive average of 65.42.
In December 2024, Mhatre set a world record by becoming the youngest player to score 150+ in men’s List A cricket. He achieved this milestone at 17 years and 168 days during a Vijay Hazare Trophy match against Nagaland, surpassing Yashasvi Jaiswal’s previous record (17 years, 291 days).
CSK has had a rough start to IPL 2025, losing two of their first three matches. With just one win against Mumbai Indians, the team is currently positioned seventh on the points table.
