Ayush Mhatre (BCCI photo) NEW DELHI: Chennai Super Kings pulled off a rare and controversial tactical move during their IPL 2026 clash against Delhi Capitals at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Saturday that stunned the fans. In a high-scoring final innings at Chepauk, CSK opted to retire youngster Ayush Mhatre despite scoring a fluent 59, which quickly sparked a debate on social media.Mhatre played a key role in building the innings, blasting 59 off 36 balls with a combination of controlled aggression and smart stroke selection.
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How Justin Langer’s faith helped Mukul Choudhary shineHe shared a strong partnership with Sanju Samson who scored a blistering 115 as CSK amassed an impressive 212/2 in their 20 overs. With momentum firmly in their favour, the decision to retire Mhatre in the 18th over raised eyebrows.Mhatre was patted on the back by his teammates as he left. Power-hitter Shivam Dube stepped in immediately, signaling CSK’s intention to maximize runs in the death overs with a more aggressive option at the crease. Dube made quick cameos as he scored 20 off just 10 balls, helping CSK keep the score above 10 per over.However, this move did not sit well with the fans. Social media was flooded with reactions, with many calling the decision “very strange” and questioning why a well-set batter was taken off at a crucial stage. While the retirement has been used tactically in the IPL before, it remains a rare sight, especially when a batsman is approaching a bigger milestone or is already scoring at a rapid pace.This was the latest addition to the short list of retirements in IPL history that includes the likes of Ravichandran Ashwin, Atharva Taide, Sai Sudharsan, Tilak Varma and Devon Conway. Still, Mhatre’s case stood out due to the match situation and his solid contribution.
