Ranji Trophy 2024-25: Mumbai’s teen prodigy Ayush Mhatre reflects on sharing dressing room with idol Rohit Sharma
Xtra Time Web Desk: Mumbai’s 17-year-old cricket sensation Ayush Mhatre shared a heartfelt note after being dropped from the Ranji Trophy match against Jammu and Kashmir to make way for India captain Rohit Sharma. Rohit, playing his first Ranji match since 2015, opened the innings alongside Yashasvi Jaiswal in the Elite Group A clash.
Mhatre, who has been in stellar form with 441 runs in five matches at an average of 40.09, expressed his excitement about sharing the dressing room with his cricketing idol. Taking to social media, the young batter wrote, “Started playing cricket by watching him bat on television to sharing a dressing room with my idol was such an unreal moment. Lots of learning to take forward.”
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Ranji Trophy 2024-25: Rohit Sharma shows sparks of brilliance but falls short
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The teenager, who made his first-class debut in October last year, has already made a mark with two centuries and a fifty, including a massive daddy hundred. Mhatre was particularly exceptional in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, scoring 458 runs at an average of 65.42 and a strike rate of 135.50. His standout innings included a blistering 181 against Nagaland and 148 against Saurashtra earlier this year.
Despite his form, Mhatre had to sit out when the Ranji Trophy resumed after the break for white-ball cricket. Rohit’s below-par performance, scoring just 3 and 28 in the match, sparked debates on social media about Mhatre’s exclusion. However, the teenager remains focused on improving his game. Notably, he created history as the youngest player to score over 150 in a List A match, surpassing Jaiswal’s record.
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Ranji Trophy 2024-25: Shardul Thakur’s fiery century rescues Mumbai in Ranji Trophy clash
Mumbai’s lineup, featuring star players like Ajinkya Rahane, Shreyas Iyer, Shivam Dube, and Shardul Thakur, highlights the depth of Indian domestic cricket. However, it also underscores the challenges young talents like Mhatre face in securing opportunities.
Meanwhile, Shardul Thakur shone in the same match, scoring a fighting century to help Mumbai recover from 101/7 and end Day 2 at 274/7 with a lead of 188 runs. Thakur, unbeaten on 113, was ably supported by Tanush Kotian, who remained not out on 58.
