IPL 2025: Young Mumbai batter set to join CSK as replacement for Ruturaj Gaikwad

Chennai Super Kings reportedly have found a replacement for their skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad, who was ruled out of the remainder of the IPL 2025 due to elbow injury. 

Ruturaj Gaikwad injured his right elbow during the clash against Rajasthan Royals. Despite the injury, the 28-year-old played the next two matches against Delhi Capitals and Punjab Kings. Ahead of the clash against Kolkata Knight Riders, CSK head coach Stephen Fleming revealed that Ruturaj would not be available for the remainder of the season after the MRI scan showed a fracture in elbow’s radial, while confirming that ‘uncapped player’ Dhoni will take over the reins of CSK as the captain for reaming IPL 2025. 

With Ruturaj Gaikwad being ruled out of the IPL 2025, Chennai Super Kings lost an in-form player who had consistently performed well since his debut for the side in 2020. Gaikwad’s absence brought an imbalance in their batting line-up, which was evident in their collapse in the clash against Kolkata Knight Riders, getting restricted to 103/9 in 20 overs. The management was forced to bring in out-of-form Rahul Tripathi to bat at No.3, the position which Gaikwad batted in the first five matches of the tournament. 

With Chennai Super Kings sitting at the bottom of the points table with just one win in six matches, the management was compelled to act swiftly and bring in a replacement for Ruturaj Gaikwad. 

Ayush Mhatre picked Ruturaj Gaikwad’s replacement

The young Mumbai opener Ayush Mhatre has been identified by the CSK management as a replacement for Ruturaj Gaikwad in the squad for the remainder of the ongoing IPL season. 

As per the report by Cricbuzz, a source close to CSK confirmed that Mhatre will join the Chennai Super Kings squad in Mumbai for their clash against Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium. CSK are currently in Lucknow for the clash against Lucknow Super Giants at Ekana Cricket Stadium on Monday (today). 

Earlier this month, Ayush Mhatre was called up by the CSK scouting team for the mid-season trial in Chennai. As per the report by Times of India (TOI), CSK CEO Kasi Viswanathan confirmed that Ayush was asked to attend the trials in Chennai after he impressed the talent scouts.

Ayush Mhatra listed himself at the IPL 2025 Auction for a base price of INR 30 lakh, but did not find any buyer despite his impressive performance in his debut season for Mumbai last year.

Ayush Mhatre’s performance in domestic cricket

Ayush Mhatre was shot to national headlines when he played a brilliant innings of 176 off 232 balls in the first innings that helped Mumbai post a total of 441 on the board and a 315-run lead against Maharashtra at the Sharad Pawar Cricket Academy at BKC. In his debut Ranji Trophy season for Mumbai, Mhatre aggregated 471 runs, including two centuries and a fifty, at an average of 33.64 in 14 innings. 

In the Vijay Hazare Trophy last year, the young batter was the highest run-getter for Mumbai, amassing 458 runs, including two centuries and a fifty, at an average of 65.42 in seven matches. His best performance came against Nagaland, scoring 181 off 117 balls in Mumbai’s 189-run win. He shattered Yashasvi Jaiswal’s record for being the youngest batter to score 150+ in List A cricket at the age of 17 years and 168 balls. 

Ayush Mhatre first made it to the local headlines back in 2019, when he scored two double centuries for the IES VN Sule Guruji (Dadar)- 202 and 207 in the Giles Shield Tournament. In 2022, he smashed a brilliant 213 off 131 balls in the Harris Shield match at the Islam Gymkhana.