'Not easy to be fearless playing first T20 game...': Pujara hails CSKs Mhatre
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], April 21 (ANI): Indian batter Cheteshwar Pujara hailed youngster Ayush Mhatre for his "fearless and confident" cricket in his Indian Premier League (IPL) debut, saying that playing lot of cricket in Mumbai has helped the young cricketer.
While CSK continued to disappoint as a unit with their sixth loss of the competition to Mumbai Indians (MI) at Wankhede Stadium on Sunday, one of the positive spots was Mhatre's fearless knock of 32 in 15 balls, with four boundaries and two sixes. Mhatre was brought in as a replacement for injured skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad and was played as an opener. His cameo, aside from half-centuries from Shivam Dube and Ravindra Jadeja, played a crucial role in CSK posting 176/5 in their 20 overs.
Speaking about Mhatre's knock at ESPNCricinfo's programme TimeOut, Pujara said it is not easy to be fearless when you are paying your first T20 game at a high level.
"If you are not well-prepared and you are nervous when playing your first game, you do not get that confidence. We say they are fearless but it is not easy to be fearless when you are playing your first-ever T20 game, that too at the highest level. To do that, I am sure he is done enough preparation. I have not seen his journey so far, I do not know much about it, but the way he batted he seemed very confident. He's played a lot of cricket in Mumbai and that's definitely helped him," he added.
Mhatre has played nine first-class matches and seven List-A games and made 962 runs for Mumbai. In nine first-class matches, he has made 504 runs in 16 innings at an average of 31.50, with two centuries and a fifty. His best score is 176.
In seven List-A matches, he has made 458 runs at an average of 65.42, with two centuries and a fifty, with his best score being 181.
In the ACC U19 Asia Cup for India, Mhatre made 176 runs in five matches at an average of 44.00, with two half-centuries. In his first full-fledged Ranji Trophy season for Mumbai this year, he made 471 runs in eight matches and 14 innings, averaging 33.64, with two centuries and a fifty.
Mhatre also smashed List A cricket records when he scored 181 off 117 balls in the Vijay Hazare Trophy to become the youngest to hit 150 in a men's List A innings.
Former Australian captain Aaron Finch has talked about some change in attitude of debut cricketers now.
"Days are gone by [when] you walk into bat in your first game and you think, 'how can I get another game, how can I get myself into a position to get picked next game', and you get 30 off 25 and you go 'I have actually done a pretty good job for myself. But these kids now [say], 'you know what will get me another game - hitting three or four sixes'. Then you become an Impact Player. And you can put it on reels and it can go viral. That's what the new generation is all about," he concluded.
In the match, a quickfire 32 in 15 balls (four boundaries and two sixes) by teen debutant Ayush Mhatre and fifties from Shivam Dube (50 in 32 balls, with two fours and four sixes) and Ravindra Jadeja (53* in 35 balls, with four boundaries and two sixes) powered CSK to 176/5 in 20 overs. Jasprit Bumrah (2/25) was the top bowler for MI.
During the run-chase, after a 63-run stand between Rohit and Ryan Rickelton (24 in 19 balls, with three fours and a six), Rohit (76* in 45 balls, with four boundaries and six sixes) and Suryakumar Yadav (68* in 30 balls, with six fours and five sixes) chasing down the total in 15.4 overs.
With this win, MI have climbed to sixth place on the points table, with four wins in four matches, and a total of eight points. CSK, meanwhile, slipped to the bottom, having managed just two wins and lost six matches. (ANI)
First Published: 21 Apr 2025, 05:38 PM IST
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