Ranji Trophy: Hamstring injury rules Mhatre out for six weeks

Mumbai’s promising opener and vice-captain Ayush Mhatre is set to miss at least six weeks of cricket after sustaining a suspected Grade 4 tear in his right hamstring during the team’s Ranji Trophy season-opener against Chandigarh at the Wankhede Stadium.

Mumbai Cricket Association president Ajinkya Naik confirmed on Tuesday that the 19-year-old’s recovery timeline would depend on further consultations between the Mumbai team’s medical staff and the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru.

Mhatre sustained the injury while batting on the opening day against Chandigarh. He did not take the field during either of the visitors’ innings as Mumbai registered an innings-and-155-run victory.

“It happened while running between the wickets. He looks very sad. He worked really hard in the off-season. He was doing rehab with me only at BKC and would come all the way from Virar, do his rehab and go back. It happens, it is part of the game, and we will try to motivate him,” Mumbai captain Siddhesh Lad said.

“We had two or three simulation games and club games, and also played at the BKC (Ground). He was looking fine for the last three or four matches, but he felt something in his hamstring while taking a second run.”

The setback comes barely six months after Mhatre injured his left hamstring while representing Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League on April 18. That injury had ruled him out for three months. It is understood that he had also been troubled by the right hamstring during his rehabilitation at the CoE.