During the Mumbai Indians vs Lucknow Super Giants IPL 2025 match in Lucknow, Tilak Varma retired out after scoring 25 runs off 23 balls. With seven balls remaining in the second innings and MI needing 24 runs to win, Varma decided to retire out. Unfortunately, MI ended up losing the match by 12 runs. This made Varma, at 22 years old, the fourth player in IPL history to retire out, and the first in the 2025 season.
Batting at number five in the ninth over, Varma struggled to keep up with the scoring rate during the 204-run chase. Despite his efforts, he ultimately made the decision to retire out in hopes of giving his team a better chance to reach the target. This move is not commonly seen in cricket, but Varma deemed it necessary in this particular situation.
The other three players who have retired out in IPL history are R Ashwin (RR) against LSG in April 2022, Atharva Taide (PBKS) against DC in May 2023, and Sai Sudharsan (GT) against MI in May 2023. Now, Varma joins this exclusive list after his retirement out against LSG in April 2025.
Varma’s decision to retire out may have been unexpected, but it showcased his selflessness and team-first mentality. Despite the loss, his actions highlighted his commitment to doing whatever it takes to help his team succeed.
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