Ayush Mhatre reveals 'cricketing hero' ahead of IPL 2026

During the 2025 season of the Indian Premier League (IPL), the opening batter of the Chennai Super Kings (CSK), Ayush Mhatre, wrote a heartfelt note to his idol, Rohit Sharma, after being dropped from the Ranji Trophy 2024/25 clash against the Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) as Mhatre had to make way for the Indian Test captain, who played his first Ranji Trophy match since 2015. 

Later, Ayush Mhatre was up against Rohit Sharma in the IPL 2025 clash between Chennai Super Kings and the Mumbai Indians (MI) at the Wankhede Stadium. The youngster, who won the U19 World Cup 2026 in the recent edition’s final against England at the Harare Sports Club, played a sensational and eye-catching knock against some of the strong bowlers.

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“Started playing cricket by watching him bat on television to sharing a dressing room with my idol was such an unreal moment. Lots of learning to take forward.” Mhatre said in that previous note that he picked Rohit Sharma as his first cricketing hero before the IPL 2026 during a fun session with the yellow franchise in their advertisement shoot.

Ayush Mhatre picks Rohit Sharma as ‘cricketing hero’ before IPL 2026

Mhatre has smashed an overall 458 runs in seven innings of the List A cricket at an average of 65.42 and a strike rate of 135.50 with the help of two half-centuries and one century at the best score of 181 runs. In the T20s, the right-handed batter has clubbed 565 runs in 13 innings at a strike rate of more than 175.46.

In his first season of the IPL, he nailed 240 runs in just seven innings at an average of 34.28 and a strike rate of 188.97, thanks to one half-century at the best score of 94 runs that came against the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB).

Rohit Sharma, who has been the brand ambassador of the ongoing Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, will soon begin his preparation for the IPL 2026, which is expected to begin on March 28. The Mumbai Indians, who have won five titles so far, will look to add another trophy to the cabinet.