IPL 2026: Priyansh Arya, Ayush Mhatre lead the GenZ charge
Young talents Priyansh Arya and Ayush Mhatre showcased impressive batting prowess in the IPL. Mhatre's 73 powered CSK's score, while Arya's explosive 39 off 11 balls set up Punjab Kings' chase. Former spinner Ravichandran Ashwin lauded their 'Gen Z' approach, highlighting Mhatre as a potential long-term asset for CSK.
CHENNAI : The new generation of top-order batters, with their audacious approach, have lately been hogging the limelight in the IPL. While 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has emerged as the poster boy of this Gen Z crop, he is not a lone ranger. Two more young willow wielders are coming into the frame as serious contenders for bigger things in future.
During Punjab Kings’ fivewicket win over Chennai Super Kings at the MA Chidambaram Stadium here on Friday, it was the tale of two young guns — Priyansh Arya and Ayush Mhatre. While the 18-year-old Mhatre, with his clever strokeplay, powered CSK to 209 with a 43-ball 73, the 24-year-old Arya launched PBKS’s chase in style. The opener’s whirlwind 39 off just 11 balls, at a staggering strike rate of 354.
5, took the game out of CSK’s hands early. Both made their debut last year and enjoyed breakout seasons. Now, into their second IPL campaign, they’ve begun brightly and enough to catch the eye of former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, who heaped praise on the “Gen Z players who put on a batting festivity”.
“Both of them (Arya and Mhatre) batted brilliantly. The way these‘Gen Z’ batters played, they are changing our mindset. And I absolutely enjoyed seeing their batting.