Watch: Tilak Varma forced to retire out after struggling during LSG vs MI clash

The 22-year-old Mumbai Indians (MI) left-handed batter Tilak Varma looked miserable with the bat in the 16th match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 on Friday, April 4.

After struggling in the middle for a very long time, Tilak Varma was forced to retire out against the Lucknow Super Giants at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow.

Also Read: Watch: Digvesh Rathi challenges BCCI, does 'notebook' celebration vs MI despite being punished

Tilak Varma becomes the fourth cricketer to get retired out in IPL

Varma is one of the most talented batters in the Indian cricket circuit and he was retained by the Mumbai Indians (MI) ahead of the Indian Premier League 2025 mega auction.

He has received great backing from the team management but he has failed to justify it. Tilak Varma is yet to set the stage on fire in the ongoing edition of the Indian Premier League.

He has managed to get some starts but has not managed to convert them into big scores. His worst outing with the bat came against the Lucknow Super Giants as he kept struggling throughout the innings.

Tilak Varma tried his all but was unable to make a good connection with the ball and only managed to score 25 runs off 23 balls, with 2 fours.

On the fifth ball of the 19th over, Hardik Pandya took a single off Shardul Thakur, and as Tilak Varma got the strike, the decision was made to retire him out.

Mitchell Santner was sent to bat in place of the 'impact player' Tilak Varma, but he too was unable to save Mumbai Indians from losing the game as they faced a 12-run loss.

Notably, Tilak Varma became only the fourth player in the history of the Indian Premier League to get retired out.

Retired-out in IPL:

- Ravi Ashwin vs LSG, 2022

- Atharva Taide vs DC, 2023

- Sai Sudharsan vs MI, 2023

- Tilak Varma vs LSG, 2025

Watch: Tilak Varma retires out

🚨 A RARE SCENE IN CRICKET. 🚨

- Tilak Varma who came in as an impact player, retired out before the final over. 🤯 pic.twitter.com/oqg6JwRNiV

— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) April 4, 2025

If we look at our team we have got some great leaders - Mitchell Santner

Speaking ahead of the match, Mitchell Santner said that facing the Lucknow Super Giants would be a tough challenge. He said:

"[The previous win at home] It gives us a little bit of confidence. We know it's gonna be a tough start on the road so it was nice to win at home. Teams that can win at home can get in a pretty good position going forward. It was nice to have a win. Tonight is going to be another tough challenge.

While talking about his role with the ball, Mitchell Santner said that he is ready to do whatever Hardik Pandya asks him to. He stated:

[On his own bowling role] Whatever Hardik wants me to. I might be back in the powerplay and through the middle I think. We have a lot of options which is nice. Also match-ups, few left-handers. We've got couple of offies as well.

Mitchell Santner further said that they have a lot of good leaders in the dressing room including Rohit Sharma, Hardik Pandya, and Suryakumar Yadav. He said:

"[Bringing the leadership experience] It's probably more experience that you get playing. We come up against these guys all the time. If we look at our team we have got some great leaders as well with Hardik, Rohit, Sky who have done for their country and even Boulty has played around the world a lot so it's about trying to keep it calm out there. We know IPL could be quite hectic at times. To relax and to play freely is the main thing."