Ayush Mhatre's heartfelt message to Rohit Sharma after Ranji exclusion
What's the story
After being dropped from the Ranji Trophy match against Jammu and Kashmir, 17-year-old Mumbai cricket prodigy Ayush Mhatre expressed his admiration for Rohit Sharma. Mhatre was replaced by Sharma, returning to Ranji cricket for the first time since 2015. Despite the setback, Mhatre remains optimistic and focused on improving his skills. Here's what unfolded.
Message
Youngster takes to Instagram, expresses admiration towards his idol
The 17-year-old Mhatre took to Instagram to express his admiration for Sharma. Meanwhile, he also expressed his delight at the opportunity of sharing the dressing room with the Indian skipper. The youngster 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."
Rising star
Mhatre's impressive cricketing journey and achievements
Mhatre has been a consistent performer in domestic cricket, having raced to 441 runs in five matches at an average of 40.09. Meanwhile, he made his First-Class debut for Mumbai in October last year, quickly making waves with two centuries and a half-century. Additionally, his stellar run continued in the 2024-25 Vijay Hazare Trophy season where he scored 458 runs at an average of 65.42 and a strike rate of 135.50.
Cricketing milestones
Mhatre's record-breaking performances and future aspirations
Mhatre's cricketing prowess was on full display on December 31, when he smashed 181 runs against Nagaland, and then another high score of 148 on January 5 against Saurashtra. Despite being sidelined for the Ranji Trophy with the return of white-ball domestic cricket, Mhatre remains focused on his game. Notably, he made history as the youngest player to score over 150 runs in a List A match, surpassing Yashasvi Jaiswal's previous record.
Squad dynamics
Mumbai's talent pool and competition for spots
Mumbai's cricket team is rich in talent with the likes of Shreyas Iyer, Ajinkya Rahane, Shivam Dube, and Shardul Thakur. Meanwhile, this makes it difficult to give chances to budding players like Mhatre. However, with Prithvi Shaw and Angkrish Raghuvanshi also failing to make the cut, and Suryakumar Yadav busy with international duties, the race for a place in the squad is still fierce.
Match update
Thakur's century rescues Mumbai in Ranji Trophy match
In the ongoing Ranji Trophy match against Jammu and Kashmir, Shardul Thakur scored his second first-class century to rescue Mumbai. The team ended day two at 274/7, leading by 188 runs. Meanwhile, Thakur is unbeaten on 113 off 119 balls with 17 boundaries, while Kotian has remained not out on 58.