Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have decided to bring in 17-year-old Mumbai batter Ayush Mhatre as a replacement for captain Ruturaj Gaikwad, according to Cricbuzz reports. The franchise made the decision on Saturday, April 12. Mhatre, who went unsold at the IPL 2025 auction with a ₹30 Lakhs base price, has shown good form in his few domestic matches.
He boasts a first-class average of 31.50 and a List-A average of 65.42, with an impressive strike rate of 135.50 in nine and seven matches, respectively. A source close to the CSK camp shared the news with Cricbuzz:
“He (Mhatre) will join the squad in Mumbai in a couple of days.”
Ayush Mhatre was reportedly invited to Chennai for trials, alongside other players like Urvil Patel from Gujarat and Salman Nizar from Uttar Pradesh. Even out-of-favor Prithvi Shaw was under consideration before CSK opted for Mhatre.
Meanwhile, Gaikwad’s IPL 2025 campaign came to an end after he was ruled out due to an elbow fracture, just ahead of CSK’s match against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on April 11. The 28-year-old had featured in the team’s first five matches, scoring 122 runs at an average of 24.40 and a strike rate of 150.61, including two half-centuries.
CSK set to break longest losing streak against LSG today
CSK are facing their worst-ever slump in IPL history with five straight losses, including three at home. After a strong win over Mumbai Indians (MI), they’ve now set new franchise records for consecutive defeats. This losing streak has left CSK at the bottom of the table, with only one win and two points after six matches.
Despite MS Dhoni’s return to captaincy following Gaikwad’s injury, the team’s fortunes didn’t improve in their recent loss to KKR at home. In that match, CSK posted their lowest-ever total at home, managing just 103/9 in 20 overs, which KKR chased down comfortably in just 10.1 overs.
CSK will next face LSG on Monday, April 14, 2025, at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow.
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