CSK Coach Stephen Fleming Names One Thing About Ayush Mhatre Which Impressed Him The Most

Ayush Mhatre is just 17 years and 292 days old, but he already looks like a promising T20 cricketer. He has stylish strokes, can hit the ball all around the ground, and has the power needed for modern T20 batting. What impressed Chennai Super Kings (CSK) head coach Stephen Fleming the most, though, was Mhatre's calmness and maturity -- qualities he first noticed during trials and has now seen in action during Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025. "He's got talent. He's got hand-eye coordination. He's got a beautiful, silky swing. He's aggressive. Everything that we like about a modern-day T20 player," Fleming said about Mhatre at the post-match press conference, as quoted from ESPNcricinfo.

"But, to me, it's the temperament and being able to execute in a trial and then on the big stage. That's what I'm most impressed with," he added.

"It's one thing to have a lot of shots, but to be able to execute that game plan on a big stage in front of some of the biggest players in the world is what I admire," he noted.

In a tough season for CSK, Mhatre has been one of the few bright spots. He joined the team as a replacement for injured skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad, who was ruled out after five games due to an elbow injury. Mhatre made his debut against Mumbai Indians (MI) -- not just for CSK but in T20s overall -- and scored 32 off 15 balls. He followed that up with a 30 off 19 against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH).

Then came his standout knock on Saturday -- a brilliant 94 off 48 balls against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), making him the third-youngest to score a fifty in IPL history. Though CSK lost that game, Mhatre's performance proved he's a player to watch for the future.

"It's sometimes hard to explain, but there's just a quality