Chennai Super Kings have officially recruited Akash Madhwal to replace Ayush Mhatre for the rest of the 2026 Indian Premier League season. Mhatre, who famously captained India to an U19 World Cup victory, had enjoyed a productive start to the tournament by recording two half centuries across six appearances. Unfortunately, Mhatre’s campaign reached a premature end after he sustained a left hamstring injury during a batting stint against Sunrisers Hyderabad in Match 27. His absence represents a significant blow to the top order strategies of the CSK franchise.
Navigating a Squad Crisis
The signing of Madhwal comes at a critical juncture for Chennai, as the team grapples with several personnel setbacks. The bowling department has been particularly affected, with Khaleel Ahmed sidelined due to a severe quadriceps tear. Furthermore, the unavailability of overseas specialist Nathan Ellis has left the squad notably thin on pace bowling alternatives.
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Who is Akash Madhwal?
Madhwal enters the CSK camp bringing valuable experience and an intimate understanding of IPL environments. The right arm fast bowler has a varied history in the league, having played for Mumbai Indians during the 2023 and 2024 seasons and representing Rajasthan Royals in 2025. He rose to fame during his time with Mumbai, where he served as a vital death overs specialist under the leadership of Rohit Sharma.
Career Highlights and Statistics
His most memorable contribution occurred during the 2023 Eliminator against Lucknow Super Giants. In that high pressure game, he secured figures of 5 for 5, which stands as the premier bowling performance in the history of the IPL playoffs.
Consistency: Throughout the 2023 season, he claimed 14 wickets in just eight games, helping Mumbai reach the playoff stages.
Overall Metrics: Madhwal has participated in 17 IPL matches in total, taking 23 wickets and maintaining one five wicket haul.
An Unconventional Journey
The 32 year old native of Roorkee, Uttarakhand, followed a unique path to professional cricket. A qualified civil engineer, Madhwal exclusively played tennis ball cricket until he was in his mid twenties. This background is credited for his exceptional accuracy at the end of an innings, specifically his talent for delivering high speed yorkers.
“IPL Media Advisory
April 23, 2026
“CSK sign Akash Madhwal as a replacement for Ayush Mhatre
Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have signed Akash Madhwal as a replacement for Ayush Mhatre, who has been ruled out of the remainder of the TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 due to injury.Madhwal, a right-arm fast bowler, has previously represented Mumbai Indians (MI) (2023, 2024) and Rajasthan Royals (2025). He has featured in 17 IPL matches, picking up 23 wickets. He also has a five-wicket haul to his name, having recorded sensational figures of 5/5 in his debut season for MI in the Eliminator against Lucknow Super Giants.Mhatre, India’s U19 World Cup-winning captain, made an impactful start to the season for CSK, scoring two fifties in six matches before suffering a left hamstring injury while batting in Match 27 against Sunrisers Hyderabad.Madhwal joins CSK for a fee of INR 30 Lakh”.
MI vs CSK Today
Match Details
Fixture: Mumbai Indians vs Chennai Super Kings, Match 33, IPL 2026
Date and Timing: Thursday, April 23, at 7:30 PM
Location: Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai
Streaming and Telecast: JioStar Network Channels and JioHotstar (App & Website)
Pitch Conditions: Wankhede Stadium
Predicted Lineups
Mumbai Indians (MI):
Rohit Sharma/Danish Malewar, Quinton de Kock (WK), Naman Dhir, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya (C), Tilak Varma, Sherfane Rutherford, Mitchell Santner, Krish Bhagat, Jasprit Bumrah, AM Ghazanfar.
Impact Player: Ashwani Kumar
Chennai Super Kings (CSK):
Sanju Samson, Ruturaj Gaikwad (C), Urvil Patel, Sarfaraz Khan, Dewald Brevis, Shivam Dube, MS Dhoni (WK)/Prashant Veer, Noor Ahmed, Jamie Overton, Spencer Johnson/Akeal Hosain, Anshul Kamboj.
Impact Player: Gurjapneet Singh
