New Delhi: Chennai Super Kings pulled off a rare and controversial tactical move during the match intense pulsed light The 2026 match against Delhi Capitals at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai left fans stunned on Saturday. In the final over of Chepauk’s high-scoring innings, CSK’s decision to retire youngster Ayush Mhatre despite a smooth 59 he scored soon sparked debate on social media.Mhat played a key role in the innings, knocking out 59 off 36 balls through a combination of controlled attack and smart bat selection.
He has a close partnership with Sanju Samson, who posted impressive figures of 212/2 in 20 games for CSK, while the latter scored an astonishing unbeaten 115 runs. With the momentum in their favour, Maitre’s decision to retire in the 18th over raised eyebrows.As Mhat walked away, teammates patted him on the back. Power batsman Shivam Dube came on immediately, which showed CSK’s intention to maximize the run-rate with more aggressive options in the death overs. Dube made a quick cameo and scored 20 runs from just 10 balls, helping CSK keep the scoring rate above 10 per over.However, this move was not approved by the fans. Reaction was overwhelming on social media, with many calling the decision “very strange” and questioning why a brilliant batsman would be removed at a crucial stage. While the exit tactic has been used in the IPL before, it remains a rare occurrence, especially when the batsman is approaching a bigger milestone or has scored runs at a brisk pace.This is the latest addition to the retired list in IPL history, which includes players like Ravichandran Ashwin, Atharva Taide, Sai Sudharsan, Tilak Varma and Devon Conway. Still, Mhat’s case stands out due to the circumstances of the game and his solid contributions.
