Better than MS Dhoni? CSK star's surprising pick over 'Thala'

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) teenage sensation Ayush Mhatre picked up his favorite right-handed batter over MS Dhoni, captain of CSK as of now.

The 17-year-old, who joined the CSK camp in the middle of IPL 2025, made a good mark on the scoreboard despite an overall underwhelming season for the 5-time IPL-winning franchise. Mhatre replaces injured skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad in the top order.

In a recent conversation, Mhatre was asked about his favorite right-handed batter. Without any hesitation, he picked Rohit Sharma as his most liked right-handed batter. Though it was not the first time the young batter expressed his admiration for the Mumbaikar, Ayush is heavily influenced by Sharma's batting style.

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Mhatre attracted the spotlight even before joining Chennai Super Kings

The budding talent played 6 matches for CSK in the IPL 2025 with an average of 34.33, including a half-century, and with an amazing strike rate of 187.27. While he scored a total of 206, he hit 28 fours and 8 sixes. Before joining Chennai Super Kings, the U19 batter caught the frame during his List A cricket days.

In December 2024, Ayush smashed 181 runs off just 117 balls in a Vijay Hazare Trophy match against Nagaland and became the youngest batter in the world to score 150 or more in a List A game. He also has a couple of tons in the Ranji Trophy, played nine first-class matches to score 504 runs.

"My father and mother never made me realize that there is some financial problem at home. Like, if a bat is broken, then I didn't ask for a new one. Even today my father travels with me on the local train so that if any verbal fight happens with someone, he will handle it so that I don't take any negativity when I'm going to bat," Mhatre always loves to tell how his parents and family support him to grow as a cricketer.