The Chennai Super Kings have suffered yet another injury blow as youngster and U19 World Cup winning captain Ayush Mhatre has suffered a hamstring tear which according to batting coach Michael Hussey looks “pretty bad”. The 18-year-old right-hand batter was seen struggling while running between the wickets during CSK’s match against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 on Saturday. The right-handed batter is set to undergo scans on Monday when he reaches Mumbai, where the Super Kings play their next fixture on Thursday. He is likely to be out for three weeks, according to The Indian Express report.
At the post-match press conference, Michael Hussey confirmed that Ayush Mhatre has a hamstring tear, said its severity is still unclear pending a scan, but admitted it looks serious and could be a significant setback given the player’s good form.
“It’s a hamstring tear. Don’t know how bad it is. We’ll scan him probably tomorrow or the next day. I’m not sure, but yes, it looks pretty bad. Unfortunately, he’s going to be a big loss because he has been in nice touch,” Michael Hussey said.
While CSK went down to SRH by 10 runs, Ayush Mhatre impressed with a brisk 30 off just 13 deliveries. He had also been in strong form earlier, scoring 38 off 17 balls against Kolkata Knight Riders, along with notable knocks of 59 against Delhi Capitals and 73 against Punjab Kings.
Michael Hussey added that Ayush Mhatre is a promising young talent, and while his absence would be disappointing if he misses games, it could also create an opportunity for another player in the squad to step up and make an impact.
“He is an exciting young talent, but it is going to give someone else an opportunity, so that’s exciting as well. We have got some really good players that haven’t gotten an opportunity, so it’s going to be exciting for one of those guys. As much as we are really disappointed to lose Ayush, I don’t know for how long, but it’s exciting for a new player to come in and get a chance,” he added.
Coming to the SRH vs CSK match, the Sunrisers edged past CSK by 10 runs in a closely fought encounter.
Batting first, SRH posted 194/9, driven by explosive half-centuries from Abhishek Sharma (59 off 22 balls) and Heinrich Klaasen (59 off 39 balls).
Abhishek provided a blazing start with a record-fast fifty, while Klaasen anchored the innings after early wickets. CSK bowlers Jamie Overton (3/37), Anshul Kamboj (3/22), and Mukesh Choudhary (2/21) helped restrict SRH from crossing the 200-run mark despite a strong platform.
In reply, CSK had moments of control with quick contributions from Ayush Mhatre (30 off 13), Matthew Short (34 off 30), and Sarfaraz Khan (25 off 16).
However, SRH’s bowlers, led by Eshan Malinga (3/29) and Nitish Kumar Reddy (2/31), tightened the screws in the middle and death overs. Key breakthroughs at regular intervals halted CSK’s momentum, leaving them short despite a late push.
Chasing 195, CSK fell 10 runs short, finishing just behind after failing to accelerate in the final overs, with SRH’s disciplined bowling proving decisive.
With the win, SRH climbed to fourth place in the IPL 2026 points table with three wins in six matches, while CSK slipped to seventh with two wins from six games.
(With Agency Inputs)
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