Chennai Super Kings have been dealt a major blow ahead of the second half of IPL 2026. Young opener Ayush Mhatre has been ruled out of the entire IPL 2026 after suffering a left hamstring injury during the match against Sunrisers Hyderabad on April 18. The injury happened while he was batting, and CSK officially confirmed the news shortly after.
The 18-year-old had been one of the most exciting stories of this IPL season, scoring 201 runs at a strike rate of 177.83, with two half-centuries to his name.
Ayush Mhatre Injury - How Will It Impact CSK?
Losing Mhatre is a serious setback for CSK at the top of the order. He had been providing the kind of explosive starts that set up big totals, and replacing that firepower will not be easy.
Batting coach Michael Hussey described the loss as "big, big," and former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin raised questions about why Mhatre was not given a rest earlier, given that he had been seen wearing knee strapping in recent matches.
For the upcoming clash against Mumbai Indians on April 23, CSK are expected to bring in Urvil Patel as Mhatre's replacement at the top.
Matthew Short is also set to be dropped, with Akeal Hosein coming into the side. The bigger story, though, is the near-certain return of MS Dhoni, who has been recovering from a calf strain and building match fitness in Mumbai.
He is widely expected to feature as an impact player, which will give CSK a massive boost in the death overs. New pacer Spencer Johnson has also joined the squad, adding fresh pace options.
CSK will need their experienced heads to step up and cover the gap left by Mhatre. His absence is a blow, but the return of Dhoni and the additions to the squad mean this side still has plenty to offer.
