Ayush Mhatre arrived as a replacement player for Ruturaj Gaikwad midway through the season.
Chennai Super Kings (CSK) will face Mumbai Indians (MI) in the second match on Sunday, April 20. They finally ended their losing streak in the previous game by defeating Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in an away fixture.
This win ensured that CSK are still alive in the competition, even though their chance of qualification is slim. Currently, they are at the bottom of the points table with only four points in seven games.
However, the win against LSG will give them much-needed confidence and momentum, as they look to keep playing positive cricket. CSK must win most of their remaining games to script a comeback, and the fixture against MI will be a step in that direction.
Ayush Mhatre arrived as a replacement player for Ruturaj Gaikwad midway through the season. The main question is whether he will find a place in the XI against the Mumbai Indians.
There’s merit in playing him for this game. Firstly, CSK’s middle order has been tepid, with players like Rahul Tripathi and Vijay Shankar failing massively.
So, CSK need an aggressive middle-order batter who can go hard and play at a high strike rate to lay a nice platform for someone like MS Dhoni. Further, Mhatre plays for Mumbai domestically and must know the conditions at the Wankhede Stadium, where the game will be played.
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While Ayush Mhatre is a quality player, he hasn’t made his T20 debut yet. He has played the other two formats for Mumbai, though.
The 17-year-old has played nine First Class and seven List A matches for Mumbai. He made his debut in both formats last year. He doesn’t have enough T20 experience but has been involved in local competitions, including the DY Patil T20 tournament.
The best part is that he is technically solid and has the game to succeed, which is enough to give him a chance in the XI. Other batters have also failed this season, so it’s worth taking a risk with a better prospect.
Likely Chennai Super Kings Playing XI vs MI
Rachin Ravindra, Shaik Rasheed, Ayush Mhatre, Dewald Brevis, Shivam Dube, Vijay Shankar, Ravindra Jadeja, MS Dhoni (c & wk), Anshul Kamboj, Noor Ahmad, Khaleel Ahmed
Impact Player: Matheesha Pathirana
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