CSK Ropes in Future Superstar as Captain Ruturaj Gaikwad Replacement

It is a season that has seen absolutely nothing go CSK’s way, and they have now replaced the injured skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad with their extremely promising youngster Ayush Mhatre, who is just 17 years of age. The move comes during the time of CSK struggling at the IPL 2025 points table at the absolute bottom with just one victory in six matches.

Ruturaj Gaikwad, who was appointed to captain the team for IPL 2025, injured his elbow during the CSK vs Rajasthan Royals game on March 30, 2025, with a hairline fracture. Although he batted in the game, the injury kept worsening over the following two matches, greatly hampering his capability to perform at his best. Soon, CSK officially declared that he would not be available for the rest of the season, and the captaincy was reverted back to the ever-dependable MS Dhoni.

This blow exposed a gap at the top of CSK’s struggling batting order, and the management went searching for an Indian opener who could not just fit into Gaikwad’s slot for the immediate moment but also be a future talent.

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Who is Ayush Mhatre Replacing Ruturaj Gaikwad in CSK

Following careful consideration of a few candidates, the young Mumbai opener impressed talent scouts during trials conducted in Chennai and was thus formally appointed as Gaikwad’s replacement.

Mhatre’s cricket career has been nothing short of phenomenal. Having debuted for Mumbai in first-class cricket in October 2024, the young opener rose to prominence almost immediately.

He also played for Mumbai in seven List A matches, where he has a top score of 181 against Nagaland along with 148 against Saurashtra in the Vijay Hazare Trophy.

His contribution in the limited-overs game has been equally remarkable, scoring 458 runs in a mere seven List-A games at a remarkable average of 65.42, with two hundred.

Most of Mumbai’s cricketing experts feel that Ayush Mhatre has the potential to become a future Indian cricketer, and this IPL chance with a team like CSK could well fast-track his path.

The CSK team and their supporters are hoping that the inclusion of the young and preeminent superstar will help the team overcome the batting struggle and bounce back like a champion. Would he be the perfect replacement for Ruturaj? Only time can say it.