The Chennai Super Kings camp is reeling from yet another blow as batting coach Mike Huse labeled young gun Aayush Mhatre’s hamstring tear a ‘big loss’ for the franchise. Playing against Sunrisers Hyderabad in Hyderabad, the teenager dazzled with 30 runs off just 13 deliveries before a second-run attempt in the fifth over left him writhing in agony.
Huse, speaking candidly after CSK’s narrow 10-run defeat, shared the latest on Mhatre. ‘Hamstring tear, unsure of the extent. Scans tomorrow will tell. It feels quite bad, and losing him hurts because he was batting beautifully,’ he remarked. Despite the discomfort, Mhatre pushed on for a few more balls before being forced off, having entered as an impact substitute replacing Gurjapneet Singh.
This injury piles on CSK’s mounting problems. With Khaleel Ahmed and Nathan Ellis out, and skipper MS Dhoni nursing a calf injury since pre-season, the team’s depth is being tested severely. Huse looked on the bright side: ‘It’s tough losing Ayush, but exciting for backups to step up. We’ve got talent ready to shine.’
Sitting seventh after six losses in seven games, CSK faces an uphill battle. Mhatre’s flair had injected hope into the top order, and his absence could reshape strategies moving forward. As scans loom, the Yellow Army hopes for positive news to reignite their IPL title defense.
