What Impressed Fleming About Mhatre's Composure & Temperament?

Bengaluru, May 4 (NationPress) The head coach of Chennai Super Kings (CSK), Stephen Fleming, has shared what truly stood out to him about Ayush Mhatre after the 17-year-old emerged as a significant highlight during one of the franchise's most challenging IPL seasons.

Despite CSK being eliminated from the IPL 2025 playoffs, they faced a narrow defeat of just two runs against Royal Challengers Bengaluru on Saturday night. Mhatre's remarkable innings of 94 runs off 48 balls made him the third player to hit a half-century in the IPL at just 17 years and 292 days old.

Post-match, Fleming expressed his admiration for Mhatre, emphasizing that his composure and temperament were particularly impressive.

"It's sometimes difficult to articulate, but there’s an exceptional quality in his performance. His composure really caught my eye. He possesses talent, excellent hand-eye coordination, and a wonderfully smooth swing. His aggressive style embodies everything we appreciate in a contemporary T20 player. However, what truly stands out to me is his temperament and his ability to perform under pressure on significant occasions. That's what impresses me the most," Fleming remarked during the post-match presentation.

"We maintain a relaxed atmosphere in our camp, which has always been our signature. He has some experienced teammates, like (Shivam) Dube, who have witnessed his development. Ultimately, it circles back to his maturity. He seamlessly integrated into the team. It's often not about what the team does, but rather how he conducts himself. From day one, he felt at home, and the team welcomed him warmly. I hope this marks the beginning of a fruitful relationship," he added.

Mhatre joined CSK as a substitute for captain Ruturaj Gaikwad, who was out for five matches due to an elbow injury. He made his T20 debut against the Mumbai Indians (MI), scoring 32 runs off 15 balls, followed by a swift 30 off 19 balls against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH).

In the recent match in Bengaluru, Mhatre impressively scored 26 runs off Bhuvneshwar Kumar, the IPL's top powerplay bowler, hitting five fours and one six in that over.

A week earlier in Jaipur, 14-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi of Rajasthan Royals made headlines with a record-breaking 35-ball century, the fastest for an Indian in IPL history and the second-fastest overall. Fleming commented on the rise of young talent, stating, "It's remarkable to witness their fearless approach. However, possessing skills is essential, and these young players have extraordinary abilities - executing them against some of the world's best bowlers is nothing short of astonishing."

"Age is irrelevant, whether you're 14, 18, or 21. The performances we've observed from these two youngsters are exceptional. They demonstrate a maturity beyond their years alongside a skill set that is truly impressive," he concluded.