India Under-19 captain Ayush Mhatre made headlines with a stunning century on Day 1 of the first Youth Test against England at the Kent County Cricket Ground in Beckenham. The 17-year-old opener from Mumbai displayed maturity and flair well beyond his age, scoring a brilliant 102 off just 115 balls—his maiden hundred in Youth Test cricket.
After a quiet run in the recent Youth ODI series, where he managed only 27 runs in four matches, Mhatre answered critics in emphatic fashion. From the first over, he was in complete control, showcasing his wide range of strokes and exceptional timing. His innings featured 14 classy boundaries and two towering sixes, with one maximum coming during a dominant spell where he took apart the English bowling attack.
Mhatre reached his century in style, punching Archie Vaughan, son of former England captain Michael Vaughan, for a boundary off the first ball of the 36th over. It was a poetic moment, symbolic of the young Indian’s rising stature on the international youth stage.
CSK’s Young Star Ayush Mhatre Leads from the Front with Sublime Century to Provide a Solid Foundation
The innings began with a short-lived 17-run stand with fellow opener Vaibhav Suryavanshi (14 off 13), but Mhatre soon found solid support from Vihaan Malhotra, with whom he built a commanding 173-run second-wicket partnership. Malhotra contributed a composed 67 from 99 deliveries, allowing Mhatre to play freely.
Mhatre eventually fell for 102 in the 38th over, when Archie Vaughan finally got his revenge, but not before the Indian skipper had laid a rock-solid foundation for his team.
This century adds to a growing list of achievements for Ayush Mhatre, who is rapidly emerging as one of India’s most promising young batters. Earlier this year, he made his first-class debut for Mumbai in the Irani Cup final. His talent further shone in the IPL 2025, where he was signed by Chennai Super Kings as an injury replacement for Ruturaj Gaikwad. In a standout performance, he hammered a stunning 94 off 48 balls against Royal Challengers Bengaluru, hitting nine fours and five sixes.
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