India U-19 won the Youth ODI series by a margin of 3-2.
Stop one, and the other rises. After Vaibhav Suryavanshi’s exploits in the series, skipper Ayush Mhatre has now taken matters into his hands. The Chennai Super Kings (CSK) youngster came out to bat with India U-19 chasing 355 in the fourth innings of the second Youth Test.
His opening partner, Suryavanshi, was dismissed for a golden duck. But that didn’t stop Mhatre from expressing himself openly. The young sensation went on to strike a fifty off just 25 deliveries, the fastest to the milestone (in terms of balls taken) in Youth Tests till date. And it didn’t stop there. The Indian skipper went on to get a blistering ton. He was dismissed after scoring 129 off just 80 deliveries.
India U19 side were on course to chase the target down despite his dismissal, but just as they were 65 runs away, bad light stopped further play and the game meandered to a draw.
TBC
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TBC
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WI
–
AUS
–
WI
–
AUS
–
RWA
–
BHN
–
BHN
–
ML
–
RWA
–
ML
–
ROM
–
AUST
–
HUN
–
ROM
–
HUN
–
LUX
–
ROM
–
LUX
–
HUN
–
AUST
–
AUST
–
LUX
–
ALZ
–
RPH
–
MAR
–
HDN
–
MAR
–
ALZ
–
HDN
–
RPH
–
MAR
–
HDN
–
ALZ
–
JIHCC
–
RPH
–
MAR
–
JIHCC
–
ALZ
–
RPH
–
JIHCC
–
ALZ
–
RPH
–
TBC
–
TBC
–
TBC
–
TBC
–
RWA-W
–
SLO-W
–
TBC
–
TBC
–
FEK
–
RLC
–
KRMPS
–
ALECC
–
GUJCC
–
SUL
–
FRC
–
UTC
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JBK
–
MKP
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KLG
–
MXC
–
SWCL
–
MBMS
–
FRC
–
KLG
–
JBK
–
SWCL
–
UTC
–
MXC
–
MKP
–
MBMS
–
KNY
–
UGA
–
NIG
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NBA
–
UAE
–
NIG
–
KNY
–
NBA
–
YAR
–
MMS
–
MAK
–
ASS
–
BAD
–
SGT
–
MAK
–
BDS
–
ASS
–
SGT
–
PNC
–
SAC
–
IAC
–
AAC
–
PNC
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WIC
–
NZ
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SA
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IRE-W
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ZIM-W
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Ayush Mhatre’s fiery batting isn’t surprising. He struck a lightning 80 from just 90 deliveries in the first innings. The innings comprised 14 boundaries and a solitary six and came at a strike-rate of almost 90. The first Youth Test was drawn after neither of the teams was able to take the other down. Before the Tests, the India U-19 boys registered a 3-2 victory in the Youth ODI series on English soil, under the captaincy of Ayush Mhatre. The skipper played in four of the five ODIs, and couldn’t get going in any of them. However, he scored a gritty 102 in the first innings of the first Youth Test, showing significant signs of his temperament.
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While the Indian Premier League (IPL) is completely different from the longest format of the game, Mhatre has shown his potential. He replaced skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad. He was signed for a base price of 30 lakhs, and gave a glimpse of what his game holds. Representing the Super Kings in seven games in the previous season, he scored 240 runs at an average of 34.28. He scored a valiant fifty in the league, and struck at 188.97, which is extremely good in the shortest format.
The 17-year-old provides his franchise with really quick starts. His aggressive batting style and the ability to hit the long ball separate him from a lot of other batters. Mhatre has a strong stance and a robust foundation, which allows him to keep his head still. His highest score in the league is 94, which he achieved in the match against the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). The team management has given him the freedom to express himself early in the innings.
The young CSK star was named the captain of the India U-19 team on their tour to England. The series comprised five Youth ODIs and two Youth Test matches. If Mhatre continues to perform the way he is, the future of Indian cricket will be bright.
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