Ayush Provides 'Mhatre' To CSK's Top-Order Woes At Home

Chennai Super Kings posted a total in surplus of the 200-run mark thanks to U19 World Cup-winnning skipper Ayush Mahatma’s brilliant 73-run knock against the Punjab Kings in the side’s first home game at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in IPL 2026.

Mhatre proved a tonic for the misfiring CSK top-order as Sanju Samson and Ruturaj Gaikwad could only make a combined 35 runs against PBKS.

The Chennai top-order has had to endure a tough start to life in the most competitive league in the world as they tanked against Rajasthan Royals in their season opener at Guwahati on the road.

Chennai opened the innings with Sanju Samson and Gaikwad, but the stand was broken early when Bartlett dismissed the wicketkeeper-batter cheaply.

Young talent Ayush Mhatre walked

in to replace his dismissed teammate and steadied the innings alongside captain Gaikwad, as the pair put together a solid partnership for the second wicket.

Mhatre needed only 29 balls to reach his half-century and powered CSK past the 100-run mark within the first 10 overs. Gaikwad departed for 28 off 22 deliveries when Yuzvendra Chahal claimed the crucial wicket of the home side’s skipper, while Mhatre continued to attack.

Mhatre went on to score an impressive 73 off 43 balls before Vijaykumar Vyshak ended his stay at the crease. Karthik Sharma managed just a single run before being trapped plumb in front by Marco Jansen.

Sarfaraz Khan then hammered 32 runs off just 12 balls, hitting 6 fours and a six, before Vijaykumar picked up his second wicket with the dismissal of the Indian batter.

Shivam Dube added an unbeaten 45 runs, while debutant Prashant Veer chipped in with 6 runs to take CSK over the two-hundred-run milestone for the loss of half their side, and set to out field hoping the total would be enough to get their first points of the season on the board.

P.S: ‘Mhatre’ sounds like ‘Mathrai’ (Medicine in the form of a tablet).