By Robert 
In a major development, Chennai Super Kings have roped in promising Mumbai opener Ayush Mhatre as a replacement for captain Ruturaj Gaikwad, who has been ruled out of the remainder of the IPL season due to an elbow fracture.
The five-time IPL champions, currently grappling with form and languishing at the bottom of the points table, finalized the decision late on Saturday (April 13). Mhatre, 17, will join the squad in a couple of days, although he has been asked to report immediately. He was previously unsold at the auction, despite a base price of ₹30 lakh.
“He will join the squad in Mumbai in a couple of days,” a CSK source confirmed to Cricbuzz. The team is presently in Lucknow preparing for their seventh match, scheduled for Monday night at the Ekana Stadium. CSK currently sits with just one win and two points after enduring five consecutive losses. Their next big clash is against Mumbai Indians at Wankhede on April 20.
Mhatre was chosen following trials in Chennai, where he impressed the team management alongside Urvil Patel (Gujarat) and Salman Nizar (Kerala). Notably, Prithvi Shaw was also under consideration but was ultimately overlooked in favor of the younger talent.
A rising star in Mumbai’s domestic circuit, Mhatre has already made his mark with 504 runs in nine first-class games, including two centuries and a fifty. In List A cricket, he boasts 458 runs in seven matches, with two hundreds to his name. Debuting in October last year, the teenager is widely regarded as one of India’s brightest prospects.
With MS Dhoni leading the charge, CSK will be hoping Mhatre can provide a fresh spark to their struggling campaign.