A new poster boy from Mumbai is on the horizon apparently. The Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) has made a bold choice. They have picked 18-year-old Ayush Mhatre to captain the 17-member Mumbai Squad for the Buchi Babu Invitational Tournament.
This selection shows a massive vote of confidence on Mhatre from MCA. Even with senior players like Sarfaraz Khan and Hardik Tamore in the squad, Mhatre’s leadership nod means the board is doing their bit to groom Mhatre as leader. It hints at a transition in Mumbai cricket.
Rahane’s future as Ranji captain remains unclear, especially with the MCA not confirming whether he will continue into the 2025-26 season. Meanwhile, Pujara and Rahane were left out of the West Zone Duleep Trophy squad, a sign that BCCI selectors may be looking forward rather than back.
A top MCA official told RevSportz, “We want to groom Mhatre as captain. Don’t forget, he is India (U-19) captain. He has played the Ranji Trophy and the IPL. Mhatre might be young, but he has the experience. He knows how to handle pressure. We believe he will do the job well.”
Mhatre with superb start to his competitive career
Mhatre already has an impressive cricketing résumé for someone just 18. In IPL 2025, he stepped in for the injured Ruturaj Gaikwad at Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and made an instant impact. He smashed 32 off 15 balls on debut against Mumbai Indians and later lit up the tournament with a stunning 94 off 48 balls in a run chase against rivals RCB. His strike rate was 188.97, comfortably the best for CSK.
Even before the IPL, Mhatre had made waves in domestic cricket. He became the youngest player in senior men’s List A cricket to score more than 150 in an innings. In just nine first-class matches, he has already piled up 504 runs, including two centuries. His List A numbers are equally eye-catching, with an average above 57. If he can combine his Ranji experience with the exposure and confidence gained at CSK, Mhatre could well be in line to take over from Rahane in the coming years.
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