CHENNAI: The new generation of top-order batsmen, with their bold style, have been shining the spotlight in the IPL recently. Although 15-year-old Vibhu Suryavanshi has emerged as the poster boy of this Gen Z crop, he is not a lone ranger. Two more young Willow Welders are coming into the frame as serious contenders for big things in the future.Duran Punjab Kings won by five wickets Chennai Super Kings At the KMA Chidambaram Stadium here on Friday, it was a tale of two young guns – Priyansh Arya and Ayush Mahatre. While 18-year-old Mahatre took CSK to 209 off 43 balls with his clever strokeplay, 24-year-old Arya started PBKS’s chase in style. The opener scored 39 off just 11 balls, at a staggering strike rate of 354.5, taking the game away from CSK early on. Both made their debuts last year and enjoyed breakout seasons. Now, in his second IPL campaign, he has started bright enough to catch the eye of former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, who praised the “Gen Z players who made the batting festival”.“Both of them (Arya and Mahatre) batted brilliantly. The way these ‘Gen Z’ batsmen played, they are changing our mentality. And I enjoyed watching them bat. I expect more ‘Gen Z’ bowlers too, I want more new bowlers to come,” Ashwin said.
Ashwin, a former CSK stalwart, found No.3 batsman Mahatre’s nose and the shots he played were the silver lining in the five-time champions’ defeat by PBKS, amid a season already filled with early struggles for CSK.“The way Mahatre has batted, this should be the happiest and biggest positive news for CSK. For the next 10 years, they have got a champion player. CSK didn’t take him in the auction, they signed him as an injury replacement. He has shown what he can do, the way he played and pulled Marco Johnson for a boundary, it was amazing,” added Ashwin.Arya’s mental toughness helps PBKS.During his onslaught against CSK, Arya operated with the freedom of knowing he had the batting depth to back him up. So he swung at everything that came his way with fearless intent and perished even trying to kill the big one.Talking about his young co-star, Shashank Singh said that it is Arya’s “strong mentality” that sets her apart. “With Priyansh, as a team, we really liked last year that he is mentally tough. He knows his role. He knows what areas he can score runs in. He is very young but the way he has matured in terms of his batting is fantastic,” Shashank said.
