Aayush Mhatre (Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry photo)
New Delhi: Chennai Super Kings made a rare and controversial tactical move during their IPL 2026 match against Delhi Capitals at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Saturday, leaving fans stunned. In the final innings of the high-scoring innings in Chibok, CSK decided to retire youngster Aayush Mhatre despite scoring a fluent 59, a call that quickly sparked controversy on social media.Mhatre played a key role in the build-up to the innings, hitting 59 off 36 balls with a combination of controlled aggression and smart shot selection.
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He shared a strong partnership with Sanju Samson, who went on to score an unbeaten 115, as CSK amassed 212/2 in their 20 overs.
With momentum strong in their favour, the decision to retire Mhatre on the 18th over raised eyebrows.As Mhatre left, his colleagues patted him on the back. Power batsman Shivam Dube came on immediately, signaling CSK’s intention to maximize runs at the death with a more aggressive option at the crease. Dube made a quick cameo, scoring 20 runs off just 10 balls, helping CSK keep their scoring rate above 10 per over.
However, this move did not please the fans. Reactions have flooded social media, with many calling the decision “very strange” and questioning why a good batsman was removed at a crucial stage.
While the withdrawal has been used tactically in the Indian Premier League before, it remains a rare sight, especially when a batsman is close to a bigger feat or is already scoring at a fast pace.This was the latest addition to the short list of retirements in IPL history, which includes players like Ravichandran Ashwin, Atharva Tide, Sai Sudharsen, Tilak Varma and Devon Conway. However, Mhatre’s case stood out due to the state of the match and his strong contribution.