CSK roped in Ayush Mhatre in IPL 2025.
After the news about parting ways with Ravichandran Ashwin broke the internet, the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) are making significant strides in the direction of preparing for IPL 2026. The franchise’s performance was not up to the mark in the recent season. Captain Ruturaj Gaikwad was ruled out of the tournament, and MS Dhoni was appointed as the skipper. But still, the ship continued to go down, and the team was not able to qualify for the playoffs. The five-time champions finished last in the points table, and were able to win only four out of their 14 league games.
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Having said that, the franchise is known to be very organized in their structure and processes. Without a doubt, they have started planning for the next season. The trade discussions for the next IPL season have already set sail, and the franchise is well on its course to assemble the squad that they have planned. Though MS Dhoni and Ruturaj Gaikwad are known to be in regular conversations to plan the squad for the next year, the management seems to be completely in-line with the communication between the two players.
The Super Kings scouting team has started making their moves. The Yellow Army reportedly called India U19 star RS Ambrish and Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL) star Esakkimuthu A for their selection trials. Moreover, the Super Kings are also trying to get Baba Aparajith in their ranks. The franchise is known to back young stars, and if things go well, we can see the likes of RS Ambrish along with the current opener Ayush Mhatre.
The 18-year-old is an established all-rounder in India’s U19 setup. He recently was on the tour to England and impressed with multiple performances in the Youth ODIs as well as the Test matches. Ambrish is equally skilled with both bat and ball in hand, can has proved it over a period of time. In two Youth Tests on English soil, the youngster has scored 138 runs with an average of almost 35. To add to that, he has also scalped six wickets. Additionally, in four innings in the Youth ODI format, he scored 110 runs with an highest score of an unbeaten 66. He also scalped eight wickets.
In the second Youth ODI, Ambrish shone with the ball for the Blues. He bagged four wickets in his quota of 10 overs to help his team get extremely close to winning the game. The England U19 side clinched the game by just one wicket. In the very next game, his batting prowess came to the fore. Ambrish played a crucial knock of 30 to guide India home and registered victory by four wickets. India eventually won the Youth ODI series by a margin of 3-2. In the fifth and final Youth ODI, he once again impressed with his batting. He scored a valiant 66* off 81 deliveries to carry team’s total to 210/9.
The right-arm medium pacer is a force to reckon with. He represented the IDream Tiruppur Tamizhans in the recently concluded TNPL. Not just did he participate in the league, but played a huge role in his team’s journey towards becoming the champions. He finished with figures of 27/2 in his four overs in the final of the TNPL, helping his team clinch the title. To add to those stunning numbers, he finished with 14 wickets in eight matches in the tournament this year. This was the second-highest wickets for any bowler in TNPL 2025.
In their group stage game against the Dindigul Dragons, he bowled an impressive spell. Esakkimuthu completed his spell of four overs, scalping four wickets for just 26 runs at an economy of under seven. He was the fourth bowler to be introduced into the attack, ad bowled with a lot of poise and control. To add some context, the Tiruppur Tamizhans skittled out the Dragons for a mere 93. His accuracy as well as the variations at the death have proved to play a vital role for the team in the season. He also won the emerging bowler of the tournament award for his stupendous performance.
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There is no doubt in the quality of both these players. The fact that a franchise like CSK was keeping a close eye on the youngsters is enough to tell us a lot about their game. Moreover, the five-time champions have the knack of having their balance poised around all-rounders. A player like DJ Bravo used to fit in very well in CSK’s scheme of things, and hence the franchise might be interested in investing in young talent, who are equally good with bat and ball.
RS Ambrish has shown his ability with both bat and ball in the recent tour on English soil. With the responsibility of an all-rounder falling on the shoulders of Ravindra Jadeja at the moment, it would be good to rope in a youngster who can ease the workload off Jadeja. The philosophy of the franchise revolves a lot around all-rounders and Ambrish can be a long-term prospect. To add to that, he also seems to be very comfortable bowling with the old ball. Also, he is effective with his variations. If groomed properly, he has the potential to become a powerhouse all-rounder.
Speaking of Esakkimuthu, the speedster has got a clean bowling action. His strength lies in his variations, especially the slower ball. The pacer is known for his pace. Moreover, he has the ability to vary his speeds without changing or slowing his action down. In a nutshell, he can be a good option for CSK at the death. Additionally, the 23-year-old has played a lot of his cricket in Tamil Nadu. Hence, he will be extremely familiar with the conditions at the Chepauk, which is CSK’s home ground.
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