Mumbai Indians committed foul against Chennai? Coach Jayawardene gave clarification on Shardul’s inclusion in place of Santner.

By Samira Vishwas On Apr 24, 2026

IPL 2026: In the 33rd match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026, Mumbai Indians had to face a heavy defeat against Chennai Super Kings. The five-time champion team lost by 103 runs. This was Mumbai’s fifth defeat in the season. A controversial incident during the match made headlines, in which Mumbai was accused of misuse of concussion replacement.

What happened in the match?

In the 17th over of Chennai’s innings, Mitchell Santner of Mumbai tried to take a brilliant catch. The catch was successful, but Santner got injured. He had to leave the field. It appeared that the injury was on the shoulder.

After the injury, Mumbai Indians asked for a concussion substitute. After the approval of the match referee and umpire, Shardul Thakur was put to bat in place of Santner.

Excellently judged
Mitchell Santner with a fine diving catch in the deep 👏👏
1⃣st wicket of the night for Jasprit Bumrah ☝️
Updates ▶️ https://t.co/gGt34dqUoq#TATAIPL | #KhelBindaas | #MIvCSK | @mipaltan pic.twitter.com/5EyRNf9kCb
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 23, 2026

Why was the allegation of cheating raised?

The question arose that if the injury was in the shoulder, then why was concussion replacement taken? Concussion rules generally apply to injuries to the head or brain. Many people are calling it an abuse of rules and are accusing Mumbai of cheating.

Coach Mahela Jayawardene’s clarification

After the match, Mumbai head coach Mahela Jayawardene clarified the entire incident. He told that while taking the catch, Santner’s head first hit the ground, then his neck and then his shoulder. Jayawardene said, “Santner was feeling dizzy and not feeling stable. We took him for a scan. Icing was applied on the shoulder, but his condition was not looking good, so we called for a concussion.”

The coach also jokingly said that Santner would be disappointed that Shardul Thakur was sent in his place to bat, but the team took the injury seriously. He expressed hope that Santner’s injury would not be too serious.

santner’s performance

Before getting injured, Santner bowled 4 overs and took 1 wicket for 44 runs. Replacement Shardul Thakur could score only 6 runs while batting at number 8. Chasing the target of 208 runs, Mumbai was reduced to 104 runs in 19 overs.