Just 17, Mumbaikar holds the beacon as CSK shift focus from seniors to youth
BENGALURU: The curtain may have been drawn on Chennai Super Kings ’ campaign much earlier than they are known to this IPL season, but the future appears bright. Branded ‘Dads’ Army’ not long ago, CSK now have a sprinkling of youngsters, a mixture of teenagers and players in their 20s just raring to go.
Evidence of this came over the weekend against Royal Challengers Bengaluru . Chasing 214 for victory, CSK appeared on target until the final over — indeed the final delivery — before agonizingly falling short.
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The photo finish was down largely to one man — or rather, boy — 17-year-old Ayush Mhatre . Displaying maturity far beyond his years and the four IPL matches he has featured in so far, Mhatre was a veritable pocket-Hercules, the youngster looking more comfortable and confident than most of the senior pros in the line-up.
Who's that IPL player?
Consider this: Of the fourth delivery he faced — a flighted one, from finger-spinner Krunal Pandya — Mhatre stepped out and casually lofted it down the ground. That was just the teaser for the blockbuster show that followed. He finished with a 48-ball 94, an impressive statistic in a game in which CSK were under the cosh right from the start.
Mhatre made his domestic debut for Mumbai last season and was roped in as an injury replacement for CSK skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad . He joined the five-time champions more than three weeks after the tournament began and had notable scores of 32 (15b) and 30 (19b) against Mumbai Indians and Sunrisers Hyderabad.
Against RCB’s bowling line-up, he was in a zone, particularly destroying Bhuvaneshwar Kumar’s numbers by plundering 26 runs in boundaries in the fourth over.
Mhatre came in for high praise from head coach Stephen Fleming , who, while outlining the abilities of the Mumbaikar, said, “He’s got talent. He’s got hand-eye coordination. He’s got a beautiful, silky swing. He’s aggressive. Everything that we like about a modern-day T20 player.”
But diminutive Mhatre’s biggest strength, said the New Zealander, was: “To me, it’s the temperament and being able to execute in a trial and then on the big stage. That’s what I’m most impressed with.”
On the teenager’s execution on field, Fleming said: “It’s one thing to have a lot of shots, but to be able to execute that game plan on a big stage in front of some of the biggest players in the world is what I admire. While his innings did not result in a CSK win, it ensured the franchise has a player for the future.”
Fleming revealed Mhatre’s transition from the Mumbai dressing room to the CSK dugout has been seamless. “We have a pretty relaxed camp, which has always been our style,” the former Black Caps captain said. “He has some teammates (from Mumbai) like (Shivam) Dube, who he has seen a fair bit of. Again, it comes back to his maturity. He fitted in seamlessly. It’s often not what the team around him does, but it’s just the way that he behaves. He was very comfortable right from day one and the team was very comfortable with him. Hopefully, it’s the start of a long relationship.”
BENGALURU: The curtain may have been drawn on Chennai Super Kings ’ campaign much earlier than they are known to this IPL season, but the future appears bright. Branded ‘Dads’ Army’ not long ago, CSK now have a sprinkling of youngsters, a mixture of teenagers and players in their 20s just raring to go.
Evidence of this came over the weekend against Royal Challengers Bengaluru . Chasing 214 for victory, CSK appeared on target until the final over — indeed the final delivery — before agonizingly falling short.
Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel.
The photo finish was down largely to one man — or rather, boy — 17-year-old Ayush Mhatre . Displaying maturity far beyond his years and the four IPL matches he has featured in so far, Mhatre was a veritable pocket-Hercules, the youngster looking more comfortable and confident than most of the senior pros in the line-up.
Who's that IPL player?
Consider this: Of the fourth delivery he faced — a flighted one, from finger-spinner Krunal Pandya — Mhatre stepped out and casually lofted it down the ground. That was just the teaser for the blockbuster show that followed. He finished with a 48-ball 94, an impressive statistic in a game in which CSK were under the cosh right from the start.
Mhatre made his domestic debut for Mumbai last season and was roped in as an injury replacement for CSK skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad . He joined the five-time champions more than three weeks after the tournament began and had notable scores of 32 (15b) and 30 (19b) against Mumbai Indians and Sunrisers Hyderabad.
Against RCB’s bowling line-up, he was in a zone, particularly destroying Bhuvaneshwar Kumar’s numbers by plundering 26 runs in boundaries in the fourth over.
Mhatre came in for high praise from head coach Stephen Fleming , who, while outlining the abilities of the Mumbaikar, said, “He’s got talent. He’s got hand-eye coordination. He’s got a beautiful, silky swing. He’s aggressive. Everything that we like about a modern-day T20 player.”
But diminutive Mhatre’s biggest strength, said the New Zealander, was: “To me, it’s the temperament and being able to execute in a trial and then on the big stage. That’s what I’m most impressed with.”
On the teenager’s execution on field, Fleming said: “It’s one thing to have a lot of shots, but to be able to execute that game plan on a big stage in front of some of the biggest players in the world is what I admire. While his innings did not result in a CSK win, it ensured the franchise has a player for the future.”
Fleming revealed Mhatre’s transition from the Mumbai dressing room to the CSK dugout has been seamless. “We have a pretty relaxed camp, which has always been our style,” the former Black Caps captain said. “He has some teammates (from Mumbai) like (Shivam) Dube, who he has seen a fair bit of. Again, it comes back to his maturity. He fitted in seamlessly. It’s often not what the team around him does, but it’s just the way that he behaves. He was very comfortable right from day one and the team was very comfortable with him. Hopefully, it’s the start of a long relationship.”
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