The ongoing season has witnessed the emergence of two teenage talents – Ayush Mhatre of Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Vaibhav Suryavanshi of Rajasthan Royals. Both have stunned fans and experts alike with their performances, but Mhatre’s father, Yogesh, has advised his son not to try to imitate Suryavanshi.
Mhatre, just 17 years old, was brought into the CSK squad as a mid-season replacement for the injured skipper, Ruturaj Gaikwad. Right from his debut, the right-handed batter contributed decently with scores of 32 and 30, respectively. However, it was his recent 94 off 48 balls against Royal Challengers Bengaluru that truly turned heads.
His innings, laced with nine fours and five sixes, came in a crisis situation during CSK’s 214-run chase, supported by a 114-run stand with Ravindra Jadeja. On the other hand, 14-year-old Vaibhav, acquired by RR for INR 1.1 crore in the auction, hammered a 35-ball century against Gujarat Titans, making him the youngest centurion in T20 history and also the fastest Indian to reach a hundred in the IPL. Despite ’s success, his father, Yogesh, has advised him to stay grounded and remain true to his individuality.
“I’ve told Ayush that he and Vaibhav are two very different batsmen, and that if someone compares him with Vaibhav, he should not dwell on it. I have also told him not to try to imitate Vaibhav or aim to score a century like him. I believe there is absolutely no need for Ayush to put any pressure on himself or try to achieve something big prematurely. He has a long way to go,” Mhatre’s father was quoted as saying by the Mid Day.
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While Suryavanshi’s record-breaking hundred drew praise from all corners, Mhatre’s knock has also been widely discussed. In four innings, the youngster has scored 163 runs at an average of 40.75 and a strike rate of 185.22. Furthermore, Yogesh spoke about his son’s conversation with legendary skipper MS Dhoni following his knock against RCB.
“Dhoni calmly said to Ayush, ‘Well played. Aage isi tarah achha karte rehna hai’ [in future, you have to keep performing well just like this]. It may have been just a few words, but coming from Dhoni, whom Ayush respects immensely, the words meant a lot. It felt as though Dhoni was showing belief in Ayush’s ability by entrusting him with an important responsibility going forward,” he added.
