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Indian Premier League (IPL) is no stranger to dramatic moments, but Mumbai Indians‘ (MI) decision to retire out Tilak Varma during their match against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in IPL 2025 has sparked widespread debate.
Tilak’s departure in the penultimate over of the high-stakes chase left fans and analysts questioning the rationale behind this rare and controversial move. Both Mumbai Indians captain Hardik Pandya and head coach Mahela Jayawardene hav𓃲e since provided explanations for this tactical decision, shedding light on the thought process behind 🌠it.
Tilak Varma’s retired out: A rare occurrence in IPL history
Tilak became only the fourth player in IPL history to be retired out, a move that is still relatively uncommon in professional cricket. The decision came during Mumbai Indians’ chase of a daunting 204-run target set by Lucknow Super Giants at the Ekana Stadium in Lucknow. Tilak was batting on 25 off 23 balls when he was retired out with just seven balls remaining in the match. Despite his selfless exit, MI fell short by 12 runs, leaving many to wonder whether the gamble was worth it.
Batting at 25 off 23 in the run chase, retired himself out to🔥 make way for Mitchell Santner! 🤯
♕O🌠nly the 4th time a batter has retired out in the IPL!
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Tilak’s struggles at the crease
Tilak entered the game as an Impact Player at a critical juncture, with MI positioned well at 86 for 3 in 8.1 overs. He formed a solid fourth-wicket partnership with Suryakumar Yadav, adding 66 runs off 48 balls. However, while Suryakumar batted fluently, scoring 46 off 30 balls, Tilak struggled to find his rhythm, ma🧔naꦿging just 17 runs off 18 deliveries during their stand.
After Suryakumar’s dismissal, MI needed 52 runs from the final 23 balls. Tilak scored eight runs off his last five balls but failed to accelerate effectively. His inability to find boundaries or rotate strike consistently led to mounting pressure on the team as they approached the final overs.
Also READ: IPL 2025: Fans react as MI captain Hardik Pandya fails to finish the game a൲gainst LSG
Mahela Jayawardene’s perspective on the tactical call
Mumbai Indians head coach Mahela Jayawardene revealed that he was the architect behind the decision to retire out Tilak. Speaking after the match in the press conference, Jayawardene explained th𒅌at while Tilak had spent significant time at the crease and was expected to find his rhythm, he continued to struggle with timing and acceleration. With just seven balls remaining and MI needing quick runs, Jayawardene felt it was necessary to bring in a fresh player who could potentially hit big shots under pressuꦰre.
“He just wanted to get going but he couldn’t. I waited till the last few overs hoping that he would find his rhythm because he had spent some time there. But I just felt that at the end, I needed someone fresh to go, and he was struggling. These things happen in cricket; not nice to take him out but I had to do that—it was a tactical decision at that point” Jayawardene stated.
Hardik Pandya’s support for the decision
Captain Pandya echoed Jayawardene’s sentiments during his post-match comments. He described Tilak’s struggles as “one of those days” when a player tries hard but fails to deliver under pressure. Hardik emphasized that the decision was “obvious” given MI’s dire need for quick runs in the final moments of the chase.
“We needed some hits, and he was not able to get them. Sometimes in cricket one of those days comes when you really want to try but it does not happen. The decision speaks for itself why we did it,” Pandya remarked.
Also READ: “It is a setback…”: Mahela Jayawardene reveals 3 reasons behind MI’s l🔯oss against LSG in IPL 2025
