The Wankhede Stadium was buzzing on Sunday, April 20, as the iconic clash between Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians unfolded in IPL 2025. Hardik Pandya won the toss for MI and opted to bowl first, setting the stage for what turned into a special moment in CSK’s history — the debut of 17-year-old Ayush Mhatre.
With Rachin Ravindra dismissed early in the fourth over, the young Mhatre was thrust into the spotlight sooner than expected. But the teenager didn’t flinch. Displaying composure well beyond his years, Mhatre took the attack to MI’s Ashwani Kumar, smashing him for two towering sixes — also marking CSK’s first maximums in the powerplay this season. The crowd roared as the Men in Yellow finally found some power-hitting up top.
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Making his T20 debut, Ayush Mhatre became the youngest ever player to debut for Chennai Super Kings, surpassing Abhinav Mukund’s record. Here’s the updated list of youngest CSK debutants:
- Ayush Mhatre – 17 years, 278 days
- Abhinav Mukund – 18 years, 139 days
- Ankit Rajpoot – 19 years, 123 days
- Matheesha Pathirana – 19 years, 148 days
- Noor Ahmad – 20 years, 79 days
Ayush Mhatre eventually walked back after a breezy 32 off just 15 balls, giving CSK a solid boost in the powerplay as they reached 57/2 in 6.5 overs.
𝙁𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙡𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙁𝙡𝙖𝙢𝙗𝙤𝙮𝙖𝙣𝙩 🤩
How about that for a start 🔥
Ayush Mhatre’s #TATAIPL career is up and away in some fashion 💛#CSK 52/1 after 6 overs.
Updates ▶ https://t.co/v2k7Y5sIdi#MIvCSK | @ChennaiIPL pic.twitter.com/UVvmdWotvY
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 20, 2025
At the toss, Hardik Pandya explained his decision: “We’re going to bowl first. This is the same pitch we played RCB on. It’s got grass, so it should play well. We just need to keep executing our plans. Every match is a chance to play to our potential — and yes, it’s always exciting when the man behind me (MS Dhoni) walks in.”
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Dhoni, ever the realist, acknowledged CSK’s struggles: “We were looking to bowl too, dew’s already in. We’re bottom of the table, so it’s about taking it one game at a time. We have to play brave cricket, but also play to our strengths. Fielding has let us down — that’s an area to improve. One change: Ayush comes in for Tripathi.”
