Who will replace CSK's Ayush Mhatre in IPL 2026? Ravichandran Ashwin reveals

Ayush Mhatre has been ruled out of the IPL 2026 due to a hamstring injury. This is a huge setback for CSK. The 5-time champions will face their archrivals, the Mumbai Indians, in their next match on April 23. Ahead of the game, CSK management is constantly looking for Mhatre’s replacement. Some believe that Urvil Patel should be given a chance in place of Mhatre, while some suggest that Sarfaraz Khan or Dewald Brevis could bat at this position. 

Now, former CSK teammate Ravichandran Ashwin suggested a potential replacement for Ayush Mhatre. According to Ashwin, CSK should consider signing Vihaan Malhotra from Royal Challengers Bengaluru throughout the loan window. He urged CSK management to move quickly, pointing out that the window closes after the 7th game. 

He also recommended an alternative option, as India U-19 wicketkeeper batter Abhigyan Kundu, even though he wasn’t included in the IPL auction pool. 

“With so many injuries on the horizon! The loan window closes after the 7th game mark & it will be a great idea to loan this sensational talent from RCB. He hasn’t played a single game so far, hence it is a viable option. If not Vihaan, Abhigyan Kundu is also a left-handed option that can be groomed, keeping ‘FUTURE CORE’ in mind,” Ashwin wrote on X. 

Ravichandran Ashwin was also questioned about RCB's willingness to offer a player to CSK, an arch-rival. The former India spinner clarified that Bengaluru might see it as a business opportunity given the two teams' disparate standing on the points table. 

“One team is comfortably placed and the other isn’t competing with them at the moment, so there is an opportunity to make some cash. The player also gets a chance to play and will return to the original franchise after a few games,” he added.

Players who have participated in 0–2 IPL games are eligible for the loan window, which runs from matches 20–34. A loaned player stays with the borrowing team for the remainder of the season, and can’t play against their parent team. This means if Royal Challengers Bengaluru will provide Vihaan Malhotra to Chennai Super Kings for the remainder of the season, then also Vihaan will not be able to play against RCB on CSK's side. However, the RCB vs CSK match has already taken place, and both teams were scheduled to face each other only once in the league stage. Now, if both teams face each other, it will be in the playoffs only.