Chennai Super Kings (CSK) There is a big fear ahead Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 Following a horrific incident involving their record-breaking uncapped star. Karthik SharmaWho was bought at a whopping price of Rs 14.20 crore, suffered a painful collapse while competing in a high-profile Mewar Cup 2026 tournament. The injury has left CSK fans in shock, especially when the five-time champions have invested almost 15% of their total auction purse in the 19-year-old talent.
Mewar Cup 2026 incident: Karthik Sharma collapses in pain
The incident occurred during a league match of the PIMS Mewar Cup Season 4 in Udaipur on February 19, 2026. Batting on 39 off just 14 balls, Sharma looked in explosive form as he hit three consecutive boundaries before tragedy struck the bowler. Vipraraj Nigam Was running to throw the fourth ball.
Visuals from the field showed the young batsman suddenly clutching his lower back and falling to the field in intense pain. The team physio rushed to the field to provide immediate medical assistance, but Sharma could not carry on and had to retire hurt. Although the exact nature of the injury is still being evaluated, initial reports suggest it is a severe back sprain or muscle tear, with many observers describing the scene as ‘bad’.
Here is the video:
– Cricket Hub (@onlyjayX53) 20 February 2026
Also read: Who is Karthik Sharma? Record-breaker of ₹14.2 crore signed by CSK
CSK’s new discovery Karthik Sharma: Jointly most uncapped player in IPL history
Karthik Sharma becomes joint most expensive uncapped player in IPL history, shares record with teammate Prashant VeerAfter a fierce bidding war, his price increased from the base price of Rs 30 lakh to Rs 14.20 crore. Their tremendous growth is supported by exceptional domestic figures for Rajasthan, including:
- Explosive T20 Hitting: A strike rate of 162.92 in the shortest format, where he hit 28 sixes in just 11 innings.
- First Talent: One century (113) against Uttarakhand for Rajasthan on his Ranji Trophy debut and another on Vijay Hazare Trophy debut.
- Constant power: He finished as the player with the most number of sixes in the 2025 Vijay Hazare Trophy and has scored over 11,000 runs in grassroots cricket with a career strike rate of 150+.
His status regarding his availability for IPL 2026 is not clear at present. With the IPL starting in late March, the youngster has about a month to recover. If it is a minor back sprain, he may be fit for the start of the season; However, any structural damage could force CSK to look for a replacement player for their biggest investment of the auction.
Also read: Ravichandran Ashwin picks his CSK playing XI for IPL 2026, leaves out ₹14.20 crore rookie