Under-19 captain and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) Ayush Mhatre shared the same stage with Shah Rukh Khan and Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. Ahead of IPL 2026, the video has sparked some speculation, as the batsman is from the CSK camp, and Shah Rukh Khan is the co-owner of Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR).
However, the speculations did not last long as a felicitation program brought Mhatre and Khan closer. The Mumbai-born under whose leadership India reclaimed its throne in U-19 cricket by winning the last edition of the ICC U19 ODI World Cup. Mhatre became the fifth Indian cricketer to win the cup, after Mohammad Kaif (2000), Virat Kohli (2008), Unmukt Chand (2012) and Yash Dhull (2022).
In a video shared by Instant Bollywood on Instagram, viewers can see Shah Rukh putting a shawl on Mhatre before receiving the memento from Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis. After handing over the mementos, Fadnavis, Khan and Mhatre posed on the stage for a photoshoot.
This sequence forever creates a special place in the memory of Ayush Mhatre. The top-order batsman was struggling with his form before leaving for the Under-19 World Cup, which was a matter of concern for the team. But he launched himself successfully when the team needed him most.
In the semi-finals and final, he scored half-centuries against Afghanistan and England respectively. And with the ball in hand, he took 6 wickets with his off-spin. Overall, Mhatre scored 214 runs in seven matches at an average of 30.57, including three half-centuries in the competition.
Ayush Mhatre is all set to play for CSK in the IPL 2026 season
The rising batsman will make his presence felt for Chennai Super Kings during the upcoming Indian Premier League season. After a brief, but impressive performance for the franchise in IPL 2025, they retained the explosive batsman with a long-term vision.
In IPL 2025, he joined the 5-time league champions as a replacement for CSK captain Ruturaj Gaikwad, who was ruled out of the remainder of the T20 tournament due to injury. The signing of Mhatre proved beneficial for the team as the young batsman scored a total of 240 runs in seven matches at an impressive strike rate of 188.97, with his best score of 94 (48) against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB).
IPL 2025 was a big blow for CSK
Ahead of IPL 2026, CSK unveiled their new jersey through an official video on their social media accounts. Along with captain Ruturaj Gaikwad, new players Sarfaraz Khan and rising stars like Mhatre and Urvil Patel can also be seen in the video.
CSK fans would like to forget the IPL 2025 season where their favorite team finished their campaign at the bottom of the points table with only 4 wins and 10 losses in 14 matches.
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