Chennai signed fast bowler Akash Madhwal as the replacement for Mhatre. The right-arm bowler had started off as a net bowler for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru in 2019. Three years later, he earned his maiden IPL contract with the Mumbai Indians when he was signed as a replacement for injured Suryakumar Yadav with just two matches left in the 2022 season. Although he did not play a game that year, he impressed the management in the nets, which earned him the big break the following year.

MI vs CSK LIVE Score, IPL 2026

In IPL 2023, Madhwal made his debut for the Mumbai Indians, picking 14 wickets in eight games that season, including a five-wicket haul, recording sensational figures of 5/5 in the Eliminator against Lucknow Super Giants. He played five matches in 2024 for Mumbai, picking just five wickets.

He garnered some attention at the mini-auction for the 2025 IPL season, where Rajasthan Royals beat Punjab Kings to sign the pacer for INR 1.20 crore. However, he featured in just four matches for the RR, and was later released.

Madhwal, who had no takers at the auction last December, joined CSK for a fee of INR 30 lakh. He reportedly attended the CSK trials in Hyderabad earlier last week.

Madhwal’s arrival adds much-needed cushion to the CSK pace line-up, which has been hit hard by injuries this season. They had earlier lost left-armer Khaleel Ahmed, while Spencer Johnson — signed as a replacement for Nathan Ellis — also suffered an injury, although the Australian has since rejoined the squad.

Mhatre, India’s U19 World Cup-winning captain, made an impressive 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.