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

On Sunday, April 20, 17-year-old Ayush Mhatre made an impression on the cricket community during his Indian Premier League (IPL) debut for Chennai Super Kings (CSK) versus Mumbai Indians (MI) at the Wankhede Stadium. Ruturaj Gaikwad was recently ruled out of the competition owing to an elbow ailment, and the Mumbai hitter was signed by the Men in Yellow to replace him after going unsold at the auction.

From the first moment, Ayush Mhatre attacked the MI bowlers after walking out to bat at number three.

After scoring 32 runs off 15 balls, including two sixes and four fours, he was bowled out by Deepak Chahar. Even though CSK lost the game and is virtually eliminated from the playoffs, they have discovered a young player who will be of great use to them in the years to come.

In July 2014, the Vengsarkar Cricket Academy, run by former Indian cricketer Dilip Vengsarkar, posted a video to YouTube showing six-year-old Ayush being interviewed and responding to questions with one word. Next, an interview is conducted with his grandfather, who was known to accompany him to the maidans during his childhood.

Mhatre’s grandfather, Laxmikant Naik, responds, “We saw his talent with the bat,” when asked why they sent him to train at such a young age. It was our belief that his success in the sport would be determined by fate. We must, however, push him. Since anyone has heard of Vengsarkar Cricket Academy, we sent him there. Previous to Sachin Tendulkar becoming a legend, he was one. We thus believed that he ought to be sent to work for someone of such calibre. If Ayush takes lessons from the top, he has the potential to develop quickly.

Last year, during the Irani Trophy match against the Rest of India squad, Mhatre made his debut as an opener for the Mumbai Ranji Trophy team. To date, he has played in nine first-class games for Mumbai. To date, the right-handed batter has amassed two tonnes and fifty. In addition, Mhatre has participated in seven List A matches, scoring 458 runs and recording two hundreds and a half-centuries.