A child of the IPL era, Ayush Mhatre embraces his big moment

He was just a nine-month-old toddler when the IPL was born on a hot April evening in 2008. Seventeen years later, on a similarly hot and humid night in Mumbai, he made his IPL debut - against Mumbai Indians, no less - and played with the poise and confidence of a seasoned 17-year veteran. A dream debut? That would be a gross understatement. It was a trailblazing start. Ayush Mhatre announced his entrance into the big IPL stage.

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A drive through off-side (4), a flick over mid-wicket (6) and a pull over fine leg fence (6) - 17 runs off the first four deliveries he faced and suddenly he seemed to have solved the dilemma of a proper replacement for Ruturaj Gaikwad, the sidelined captain of Chennai Super Kings. Three more fours in the next 10 deliveries and it appeared like it would be a fairytale start to a burgeoning career of a 17-year old. It wasn't to be though; yet his knock was a banger.

MS Dhoni was all praise for the youngster's effort. "He batted really well," the CSK skipper said. "...and that's the kind of approach that is needed where you play your shots and at the same time you pick your shots that are your strength and I feel right from the start, he went and played his shots and we also haven't seen him much. So, it is a good sign for us at the top of the order that if he can keep playing the shots, it will become slightly easier for the middle and lower order."