Rohit Sharma and Ayush Mhatre (Agency photo)
Young batsman Aayush Mhatre spoke about a memorable meeting with his idol Rohit Sharma, describing it as a ‘dream day’ that left a lasting impression on him.Mhatre’s admiration for Rohit was well known. Earlier, he had written an emotional note after losing his place to the former India captain in the Ranji Trophy match.
Ahead of his tour of England last year, the youngster finally got the chance to meet his idol – a meeting that turned out to be a treasured experience.
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Speaking on the Chennai Super Kings YouTube channel, Mhatre revealed how a simple message led to a personal interaction with Rohit. The opportunity came after Rohit had earlier told him that he could reach out to him whenever he needed guidance after his Indian Premier League debut against
Mumbai Indians
.Before leaving for England, Mhatre decided to accept this offer and sent a message to Rohit requesting a meeting.“So I was about to go on the England tour, and I wanted to talk to him a bit. I texted him. Then I said I wanted to meet him, so he called me directly himself. He called me on his side and said, tell me what you want to say. I told him I was going on this tour and wanted to meet. He asked me, where are you staying? I said Ferrar. He said, are you coming from Ferrar to meet me? I said yes, I can come anywhere to meet you, I just want to meet you,” Mhatre said.
Despite Rohit’s suggestion that they could simply talk over a video call, Mhatre was determined to meet him in person. The next day, he traveled to Rohit’s residence, where the two spent nearly two hours in conversation.“He said that’s not the case, we can also talk via video. I said no, I want to meet you in person and talk. Then he gave me his home address and I went to his house the next day. I talked to him for at least two hours. I mean, it was crazy that he gave me so much time, and that’s a big thing for me.
My idol gave me time, so it was a dream for me, a dream day. I didn’t even realize how time had passed, it had been two hours. “It was really good to talk to him,” he added.Since then, Mhatre has continued to achieve success, leading India to the Under-19 World Cup title earlier this year. However, his IPL 2026 campaign started disappointingly, as he was dismissed for a golden duck against
Rajasthan Royals
.
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Meanwhile, Rohit started the season in style, scoring 78 off 38 balls to lead Mumbai Indians to victory over Kolkata Knight Riders in a high-scoring chase of 221.For Mhatre, this encounter with his idol remains a personal milestone – one that continues to inspire his journey in the game.