Former Indian spinner R Ashwin has strongly criticised the Chennai Super Kings management for their handling of Ayush Mhatre’s injury during the team’s Indian Premier League 2026 clash against Sunrisers Hyderabad on Saturday.
In the match at Hyderabad, which Sunrisers Hyderabad won by 10 runs, Mhatre came out to bat as an Impact Player wearing a heavy strap on his knee and appeared to be in considerable discomfort. Despite physios attending to him on two separate occasions, the young batsman was allowed to continue. He was visibly limping, yet CSK skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad called him for a quick single, adding to his evident struggle. Mhatre eventually scored a brisk 30 off 17 balls before being dismissed by Nitish Kumar Reddy.
Ashwin, speaking on his YouTube show, expressed deep concern over the incident and questioned the decision-making. “Ayush Mhatre’s injury: I hope he is back, but by the look of it, I fear he will be out for a while,” he said. He noted that Mhatre had been featuring as an Impact Sub in recent matches amid ongoing injury concerns, which had even sparked questions about his fielding ability.
The veteran spinner highlighted that Mhatre had not fielded at all, ruling out the possibility of a simple cramp and pointing instead to a pre-existing issue. “Your physios have come in and checked him. He was limping badly, you are asking him to play another ball and making him run between wickets!” Ashwin said, adding that he was left in “complete shock” by the approach.
He suggested the player should have been allowed to retire hurt rather than risk further damage. “In this season, Ayush Mhatre has been one of the stars. I don’t understand how they can handle him carelessly. I was shocked,” Ashwin remarked. According to him, everyone in the commentary box was stunned, placing their microphones down as they watched the events unfold with disbelief.
Ashwin further linked the episode to what he described as a recurring pattern with CSK, referencing pacer Deepak Chahar’s injury-plagued stint with the franchise. Chahar managed only 16 games in three years with CSK, compared to 14 consecutive matches for Mumbai Indians. “Injury management starts well before a season begins and goes year long,” Ashwin observed, implying broader issues in how the team addresses player fitness.
Mhatre’s performance this season had marked him as a promising talent, making the handling of his condition during the SRH game all the more surprising to observers. Ashwin’s comments have drawn attention to questions around player welfare and medical protocols in high-stakes T20 cricket.
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