After threatening backlash against Hardik Pandya, Mahela Jayawardene takes the blame on him for Tilak Varma

In a rare and surprising moment during the IPL 2025 match between Mumbai Indians and Lucknow Super Giants, Tilak Varma became only the fourth player in the history of the Indian Premier League to be retired out on Friday, April 4.

Tilak Varma was batting on 25 runs from 23 balls, including two boundaries, when he retired out. With just 7 balls left in the match and Mumbai Indians needing 24 runs to win, Tilak decided to walk off the field and let Mitchell Santner take his place against Lucknow Super Giants.

Mahela Jayawardene takes the call to retire Tilak Varma out against LSG

At that moment, Mumbai Indians captain Hardik Pandya was at the other end, batting alongside Tilak Varma. But this rare move wasn’t Pandya’s call. MI head coach Mahela Jayawardene later revealed that he made the bold decision to retire Tilak out during their unsuccessful chase against the LSG.

The left-handed batter had struggled to score quickly and couldn’t accelerate when it mattered most as the game reached a crucial stage, but he had helped steady the innings earlier along with Suryakumar Yadav. This situation forced Jayawardene to step in and decide to send in a more aggressive Mitchell Santner to finish the chase.

Unfortunately, the gamble didn’t pay off, as Santner only got to face two deliveries and couldn’t make a difference, and MI ended up losing the match by 12 runs while chasing a tough target of 204. However, Jayawardene defended his call and appreciated Tilak’s efforts in the middle overs.

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It was not easy, but I had to take that call: Mahela Jayawardene after MI's narrow defeat

Mahela Jayawardene said at the post-match press conference, “I think Tilak Varma batted well for us when we lost that wicket and that partnership with Surya, and he just wanted to get going, but he just couldn't then. I waited till the last few overs, hoping that because he spent some time there, he should have been able to get that hit out of the way, but I just felt that at the end, I just needed someone fresh to go, and he was struggling.”

The MI head coach admitted it wasn’t easy to take Tilak Varma out at that stage, but it was a tactical move to turn the game in their favor. Jayawardene signed off by saying, “When these things happen in cricket, it is not nice to take him out, but I had to do that; it was a tactical decision at that point.”

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Hardik Pandya echoes coach Jayawardene's sentiments

On the other hand, MI captain Hardik Pandya said, “It was obvious (on Tilak being retired out). We needed some hits. In cricket, some of those days come. When you try, but it doesn't come off.”

Notably, it was Mumbai’s third loss from their four games in the ongoing IPL 2025. With their narrow 12-run loss to LSG, the MI found itself in the seventh position in the points table. They will next face Royal Challengers Bengaluru on April 7 at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.