Who will replace Ayush Mhatre at no. 3?
Chennai Super Kings suffered a major setback in IPL 2026, with their in-form batsman Aayush Mhatre ruled out on Tuesday due to a hamstring tear sustained during their encounter against Sunrisers Hyderabad on April 18 in Hyderabad.
Mhatre was a mainstay in CSK’s third-place finish, scoring 201 runs in six matches and providing much-needed stability in the top order. His absence leaves a huge void as CSK prepares to take on Mumbai Indians.The big question now is: who will replace Mhatre at number three? As of now, CSK has not officially announced a replacement, leaving the team management with a crucial decision ahead of the high-stakes encounter.Here are 3 possible replacements for Ayush Mhatre at No. 3 for CSK
Orville Patel
Urvil Patel is a promising homegrown talent who is already part of the CSK squad, and the franchise has retained him for Rs 30 lakh after an impressive performance in the 2025 season. While he was benched for the initial matches of the 2026 season, he is the perfect replacement for CSK and a strong candidate to slot into the starting XI due to Mhatre’s injury. He joined CSK mid-season in 2025 as a replacement for the injured Vansh Bedi.
He made an immediate impact on his debut against KKR, scoring 31 runs off just 11 balls.
Sarfaraz Khan
This season, Sarfaraz has moved from his red-ball dominance to a high-impact T20 role. In 6 matches so far, he has scored 147 runs at an average of 29.40 and smashed a 25-ball half-century against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) on 5 April 2026, which was his first fifty in the Indian Premier League in seven years. While his batting position is currently No. 4, he could replace Mhatre’s position giving batting depth to the team by adding an extra batsman.
Kartik Sharma
Kartik Sharma is another option within the team and can be tried out as a flexible batting option. He made his IPL debut on 30 March 2026 against Rajasthan Royals at ACA Stadium, Barsapara, where he scored 18 runs off 15 balls and in his first three matches, he managed just 25 runs at a strike rate of 119.05. He played as a substitute, but Mhatre’s injury could give him a direct chance in the playing XI.
