Mumbai: Ayush Mhatre, fresh from leading India to Under-19 World Cup titles in Zimbabwe and Namibia, was denied the chance to represent the Mumbai Under-23 team in the Col CK Nayudu Trophy match against Odisha, which began at the Sachin Tendulkar Gymkhana in Kandivali on Friday, due to the BCCI’s rule that players must play at least two matches this season. Learned.
The 18-year-old Mumbai and Chennai Super Kings opener is busy with Mumbai and India Under-19 tournaments and hence will not be available to play any match for the Mumbai Under-23 side in the Col CK Nayudu Trophy 2025-26 season.
However, another member of India’s U-19 World Cup winning squad, goalkeeper Abhigyan Kundu, who played two matches for Mumbai U-23 earlier in the season, was featured in the U-23 match. Kundu, 17, was one of India’s standout performers in the 2026 U-19 World Cup, scoring 239 runs @ 59.75 in seven games, including two fifties.
Mhatt, who scored half-centuries (62 and 53) in both the semi-finals against Afghanistan and the final against England in Harare, has returned to form at the Under-19 World Cup, where he finished with 189 runs @ 30.57, a strike rate of 113.22 and three fifties in seven games. He also took seven wickets at 12.42 through very useful spin bowling.
“Yes, both the Mumbai Cricket Association and Mhatre want him to play in this match, but BCCI rules do not allow him to do so. This is unfortunate because Mhatre’s presence would strengthen the Mumbai Under-23 squad and provide him with some useful match practice,” a source aware of the development told this newspaper.
The Mumbai Under-23 team, captained by Kolkata Knight Riders batsman Angrish Raghuvanshi, apart from Kundu, also includes all-rounder Suryansh Shedge, who played in the Mumbai Ranji Trophy quarter-final against Karnataka at the MCA Stadium at BKC last week. Shechi scored 10 and 25 as Mumbai lost that match by 5 wickets after failing to defend 325 balls.
