In an exclusive interview with Sports Yaari, India U-19 skipper Ayush Mhatre has opened up about his growing leadership role and revealed why captaincy doesn’t overwhelm him. The 18-year-old, who has been on a sensational run in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy with 325 runs in six innings at a strike rate of 166.66, including two centuries and a fifty, said he genuinely enjoys leading a side, which keeps the pressure away.
Mhatre also shared the invaluable lessons he has absorbed from two of India’s greatest leaders: MS Dhoni and Rohit Sharma. He said Dhoni advised him to remain calm on the field and avoid making decisions in haste.
When asked about his idol, Mhatre revealed that Rohit Sharma is his idol. He constantly speaks to the India captain and has even learned the technique and drills behind Rohit’s trademark pull shot.
“They help me a lot because I’ve been able to closely observe Mahi bhai. I feel very proud and very lucky that I got the opportunity to play under his captaincy. He’s very calm, and the tips he gives have really helped me. Especially in captaincy, the points he explained to me have made a big difference.” Mhatre said. "My inspiration is Rohit Sharma. Since childhood, I’ve been watching him, and I’ve always loved his batting. And now I even get to talk to him, so it feels even better. Whatever I need—any advice—he has always told me I can call him anytime. That experience feels amazing."
The CSK batsman also shared insights into the U-19 Asia Cup, "The preparation is going really well. Before this, we played series against Australia and England. We also had camps in Bengaluru. So the preparation has been excellent. Our bonding is great—it's been almost a year of playing together. The team atmosphere is very good, and we’d like to continue that."
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