Ayush Mhatre will carry significant responsibility as he prepares to lead India at the U19 World Cup, set to be played in Zimbabwe and Namibia from January 15 next year. At just 18, Mhatre is already well known in Indian cricket, having made his first-class debut for Mumbai and featuring for Chennai Super Kings in the IPL last season. His appointment as captain did not come as a surprise, even though India suffered a defeat to arch-rivals Pakistan in the final of the recently concluded U19 Asia Cup. Speaking to RevSportz, Prashant Shetty, who has coached Ayush since his early days, feels the U19 Asia Cup campaign would serve as a valuable learning experience for his young protégé.
According to Prashant, “Leading your country at the World Cup is a huge responsibility and a great honour. Many players perform well at this level, but captaining the team adds extra pressure. Leading a powerhouse team like India, whether at junior or senior level, is a very big thing.”
Shetty has also noticed a clear evolution in Mhatre’s leadership, particularly after his exposure to the IPL environment.
“I’ve seen a lot of improvement in his captaincy, especially after his stint with CSK. His calm demeanour, tactical decisions, and composure on the field have really improved. As a captain, he is doing very well and ticking all the right boxes. Although, as a batter, there’s still room for improvement, and that should be his focus,” says Shetty.
Shetty believes the U19 side must improve its batting discipline to succeed at the World Cup.
“The key was spending more time at the crease,” he explains. “Batters needed to stay longer, especially until the spinners came on. That’s something we didn’t do well in Asia, and it’s something we’ll need to improve in the World Cup,” said Prashant to RevSportz.
Shetty’s association with Mhatre goes back nearly a decade. Ayush trained under Shetty at the Kalpavriksha Academy in Bandra. He still remembers the first time he saw the young batter.
According to Shetty, “I first saw him when he was around nine or ten years old. His backfoot shots stood out, and later I realised he had a different temperament compared to others.”
That temperament, Shetty believes, has been the defining factor in Mhatre’s rapid rise.
“His (Ayush) self-belief and clarity about his game were always there. These qualities are extremely important as you move to higher levels. He showed them consistently, especially last year,” according to Shetty.
The year 2025 proved to be a breakthrough season for Mhatre. A match-winning 176 on his first-class debut in the Irani Cup, strong performances for Mumbai, and a record-breaking List A innings, making him the youngest player to score 150-plus in men’s senior List A cricket, announced him on the national stage. Soon after, Chennai Super Kings signed him as a replacement for Ruturaj Gaikwad for the IPL 2025 season.
Managing those expectations, Shetty says, is a challenge every young professional must learn to handle.
“It’s always about the next ball and the next match,” he explains. “Whether you’ve had a good or bad game, you focus on the present. Your job is to prepare and give your best every time.”
Despite the magnitude of the Under-19 World Cup, Shetty’s advice to Ayush remains simple.
“First of all, enjoy the process,” he says. “Not everyone gets the chance to represent the country on a stage like the World Cup. Pressure will be there, but focus on your role and your process.”\
