[WATCH] IPL 2025: Interview of 6-year-old Ayush Mhatre resurfaces after stunning CSK debut

[WATCH] IPL 2025: Interview of 6-year-old Ayush Mhatre resurfaces after stunning CSK debut. (Photo Source - Twitter/X)

17-year-old impressed the cricket fraternity on his Indian Premier League (IPL) debut for Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in their clash against Mumbai Indians (MI) at the Wankhede Stadium on Sunday, April 20. The Mumbai batter went unsold in the auction but was recently roped in by the Men in Yellow to replace Ruturaj Gaikwad, who was recently ruled out of the tournament due to an elbow injury.

Mhatre walked out to bat at No. 3 and took the attack to the MI bowlers from the outset. He hit four fours and two sixes in his innings of 32 runs off 15 balls before eventually falling to Deepak Chahar. CSK lost the match and are all but out of the playoffs race, but they have unearthed a youngster who can serve them remarkably in the years to come.

Recently, a video, uploaded on YouTube by the Vengsarkar Cricket Academy (operated by former India cricketer Dilip Vengsarkar) in July 2014, features a six-year-old Ayush being interviewed, where he gives one-word replies to questions. Then, his grandfather, who was known to accompany him to the maidans when he was a kid, is interviewed.

Asked why they sent him to train when he was so young, Mhatre’s grandfather, Laxmikant Naik, replies: “We saw his talent with the bat. We thought whether he becomes something big in the sport or not is a matter of destiny. But it is our duty to push him. We sent him to Vengsarkar Cricket Academy because who hasn’t heard his name? He was a legend before Sachin Tendulkar became one. So we thought we should send him to work under someone of that stature. Ayush has the talent to grow rapidly if he learns from the best.”

Mhatre made his debut as an opener for the Mumbai Ranji Trophy team last year in the Irani Trophy against the Rest of India team. He has represented Mumbai in nine first-class matches so far. The right-handed batter has two tons and a fifty to his name. Mhatre has also played seven List A games, amassing 458 runs with two centuries and a half-century under his belt.