Mumbai have been dealt an early blow in the Ranji Trophy campaign with newly named deputy skipper Ayush Mhatre aggravating his right hamstring problem.
The opener is expected to remain sidelined for around a month ruling him out of the team’s next three fixtures in the opening phase of the tournament according to a report by TOI.
When did his injury struggles begin?
The latest injury setback comes at an unfortunate time for Ayush Mhatre who was recently appointed as Siddhesh Lad’s vice-captain for Mumbai’s Ranji Trophy campaign. The young batter had previously sustained a hamstring problem during his stint with Dhoni’s Chennai Super Kings forcing him to miss the latter half of IPL 2026. His recovery period stretched to nearly five months keeping him out of the T20 Mumbai competition in June, India A’s Sri Lanka tour and the Duleep Trophy held in August.
How did the latest recurrence happen at Wankhede Stadium?
Ayush Mhatre’s latest setback occurred during Mumbai’s first innings against Chandigarh at the Wankhede Stadium where he made 48 runs on Day 1 before being forced off the field. The teenager was absent from fielding duties on the following two days of the 2026-27 Ranji Trophy fixture. He underwent medical scans on Monday with Suved Parkar stepping in as his replacement on the field.
How did he perform prior to his initial injury?
Before his hamstring injury cut short his IPL 2026 campaign Ayush Mhatre had topped Chennai Super Kings’ batting charts accumulating 201 runs across six innings at an impressive strike rate of 177.87.
What was his path to returning for first-class cricket?
Following his recovery programme at Bengaluru’s Centre of Excellence (CoE), Ayush Mhatre received the green light from the Mumbai Cricket Association’s (MCA) physiotherapist to resume first class cricket. His return was preceded by an appearance for Sainath Cricket Club in the last round of the Kanga League where he made 25 runs in a ‘B’ Division fixture.
Who is stepping in to fill the void for Mumbai?
Ayush Mhatre’s absence may provide an opportunity for 22 years old Angkrish Raghuvanshi, the Kolkata Knight Riders opener who has been in prolific form is going to join Mumbai’s squad for their next Ranji Trophy fixture against Himachal Pradesh in Bilaspur scheduled from October 18th to 21st. Angkrish Raghuvanshi has been in outstanding touch registering consecutive double hundreds, 203 for the Rest of India Under-23 team against Tamil Nadu in Chennai followed by 201 for Mumbai’s Under-23 side against Bengal in Kolkata on Tuesday.