After winning two consecutive games at home in the Indian Premier League, Chennai Super Kings seem to get things right. They have responded well after losing their first three games this season. One of the key tenets in CSK’s wins is Ayush Mhatre’s performance. The U19 World Cup winning captain has caught the imaginations of former India player and former CSK bowling coach Lakshmipathy Balaji. In a chat with CE, he praised Ayush’s approach to T20 cricket, and said that he wants to dominate from the word go and play the ball, not the bowler.
“For me, the key is simple — respect the good balls and attack when the opportunity comes. Getting a big platform at a young age is a huge opportunity; there’s nothing to lose. So I just want to make the most of it. Playing for CSK, which is such a successful franchise, is in itself a big deal. There’s no point in playing with fear — just continue playing as I always have,” Ayush told the broadcaster after CSK’s 32 run win over KKR.
His year has so far been spectacular. After leading India to the U19 World Cup, he has another season to watch and learn from MS Dhoni, one of the game’s greatest names. “For me, it’s like a dream; besides representing a big franchise like CSK, the best part is getting to play alongside players I used to watch on TV — like Mahi bhai (MS Dhoni), Rutu bhai (Ruturaj Gaikwad), and Dube bhai (Shivam Dube). Last year, I was watching them on TV, and now I’m sharing the dressing room with them. It truly feels like a dream come true. Last year was my first season with the team and everyone supported me a lot,” the teenager said.
Ayush called the environment positive and said that it feels like a family. “We spend good time together as teammates, hang out, and that really helps build strong bonding. I’m a bit shy by nature, but I feel very comfortable with my teammates,” he added.
Recalling his recent win, Ayush opened up on how Dhoni helped him with leading a team before the U19 world cup. “He gave me a simple piece of advice — never make decisions in anger on the field. There are moments of frustration during the game, especially when a partnership is building, but those moments last only for a short time, about 5-10 minutes. When that passes and if you stay calm, you can make better decisions,” he shared.
Now in the IPL, the youngster from Mumbai explained more about his game. “I just focus on backing my natural style. There’s no need to change much. I try to watch the ball carefully, play according to the match situation, and contribute as much as possible to help the team win. I just want to play, it does not matter whether I open, bat at number three or number four. I’m ready to bat wherever the team wants me,” he said.
Coach’s praises
West Indian off-spinner Akeal Hosein, who played an impactful role in CSK’s second win, said that he was improving with every game. He was also pleased with the surface on which CSK played against KKR. “It’s finally good to see a good cricket wicket. There was something in it for everyone and not just a belter. So I think the spinners read the wicket well enough and we just exploit what the wicket has to offer,” Akeal said after the win on April 14.
He also noted that there was something for the spinners to work on. “It was just about using natural variation, either you were going on-seam or you were going on-face to get a couple deliveries to skid on. But the most important thing was about staying on the stumps and forcing them to hit against either the balls that are slower or balls that are skidding and staying a bit low,” he added.
Akeal praised Noor Ahmed, who broke his duck against KKR, ending with a three-wicket haul (3/21). “(I’m) very happy for him. In the last couple of games, he’s been struggling and we’re all happy for him. He’s been working really hard. So, happy for him to come out and get some success and get some confidence behind him,” he said.