IPL 2026: Chennai Super Kings bring in Akash Madhwal after Ayush Mhatre injury blow

Dealt a blow to their campaign, five-time champions Chennai Super Kings have signed Akash Madhwal as a replacement for Ayush Mhatre, who has been ruled out of the remainder of IPL 2026 with a hamstring injury.

Madhwal joins the franchise for a fee of ₹30 lakh, adding depth to CSK’s pace resources midway through the season.

Advertisement

A right-arm pacer, Madhwal rose to prominence with Mumbai Indians in IPL 2023, where he delivered a standout performance, picking up 5/5 in the eliminator against Lucknow Super Giants. He had earlier been part of Royal Challengers Bengaluru as a net bowler in 2021.

However, his returns dipped in subsequent seasons. He managed five wickets in five matches in 2024 and featured for Rajasthan Royals in the previous edition, claiming four wickets in four games. Overall, the 32-year-old has 23 wickets from 17 IPL matches, though he went unsold in the IPL 2026 auction.

Hailing from Roorkee, Madhwal has also led Uttarakhand in domestic cricket, captaining the side in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy during the 2022–23 season.

CSK had earlier assessed Madhwal during trials, with reports suggesting he was in contention as a backup option amid injury concerns in the squad.

Mhatre, India’s U19 World Cup-winning captain, had made a bright start to the season, scoring two fifties in six matches, before sustaining a left hamstring injury while batting in a recent game against Sunrisers Hyderabad.

CSK have had a mixed campaign so far, recovering after three early losses with back-to-back wins, but injuries continue to test their squad depth.