Ayush Mhatre sidelined for IPL 2026 with hamstring strain

CSK opener Ayush Mhatre will miss the rest of IPL 2026 after a hamstring injury sustained during a match against SRH.

Injury announcement CSK revealed that Ayush will undergo 6-12 weeks of rehabilitation following his hamstring issue. They also expressed hopes for his quick recovery in a statement shared on their official social media channels. ## Injury incident Mhatre came in as the Impact Substitute for Gurjapneet Singh in CSK’s innings against SRH, facing the second ball of the innings. He advanced steadily to 30 from 12 deliveries before halting after completing two runs and grabbing his left hamstring. Visible pain showed on his face as the team’s physiotherapist attended to him immediately. ## Struggle continues After the on-field treatment, Mhatre tried to continue batting but moved with noticeable difficulty, limping on the next delivery and almost hopping to finish the run. He was dismissed for 30 from 13 balls when Heinrich Klaasen took a sharp catch at extra cover. ## Coach’s reaction After the game, CSK batting coach Mike Hussey described Mhatre’s condition as serious during the press interaction. He added, 'It looks pretty bad, unfortunately. And he's going to be a big, big loss because he's been in really nice touch for us.' ## Season performance Mhatre tops CSK’s run-scoring charts with 201 runs in six appearances this season, maintaining a strike rate of 177.87. Despite his absence, the team has not yet named a replacement, though Urvil Patel remains in the squad after scoring 68 runs at a strike rate of 212.50 across three matches last season. ## Team injury list CSK’s campaign has already suffered multiple setbacks due to injuries. MS Dhoni remains unavailable due to a calf strain, with his recovery extending beyond two weeks, though he traveled to Hyderabad with the side. Nathan Ellis is out for the entire season with a hamstring problem, while Spencer Johnson, brought in as his replacement, is still recovering and has not joined the squad. Last week, Khaleel Ahmed also exited the tournament after suffering a right quadriceps injury. ## Season form The five-time champions have struggled early in the campaign, sitting eighth on the points table after six games with two victories and four defeats. After opening with three consecutive losses, CSK recovered with wins over Delhi Capitals and Kolkata Knight Riders, but a recent loss to SRH has disrupted their momentum.