List of Players Who Retired Out in IPL History like Tilak Varma

The Mumbai Indians’ decision to retire out batter Tilak Varma for all-rounder Mitchell Santner during Mumbai’s match vs Lucknow Super Giants, has sparked plenty of controversy on the social media platforms.

Mumbai Indians needed 24 runs off 7 balls when they made the call to retire out Tilak Varma to introduce Mitchell Santner. Eventually, Mumbai lost the match by 12 runs with Santner scoring 2 runs off 2 balls.

This decision by the franchise management has led to lot of criticism by the fans and the cricket experts on social media. However, both captain Hardik Pandya and head coach Mahela Jayawardene backed it as a tactical decision.

Tilak Varma who came on to bat at number 5 for the Mumbai Indians in the 9th over, struggled throughout the inning as the Indian middle-order batter scored only 25 runs off 23 balls. He was struggling to find the gaps or play a big shot when the team needed it as he hit only 2 fours in his inning.

However, this wasn’t the only time that a batters was retired out in IPL. In this article, we take a look at the list of players who were once retired out.

Ravichandran Ashwin

This trend in the IPL was started off by Ravichandran Ashwin in the IPL 2022 season. The off-spin bowler was batting on 28 runs off 23 balls when he was retired out to bring in Riyan Parag to give to strong end to the inning. Throughout his inning, Ashwin hit only 2 sixes and 0 fours before was he retired out.

Atharva Taide

Another batter who was retired out in the IPL is Atharva Taide in the IPL 2023. This decision was made by Taide’s team Punjab Kings who bring in much more aggresive and hard-hitting batters as the required run rate was quite high while chasing 214 runs vs Delhi Capitals. Taide had already played a brilliant knock of 55 runs off 42 balls. But he was replaced by Jitesh Sharma in the 15th over. However, Jitesh was dismissed soon after, after just playing 4 balls in his inning. Punjab Kings eventually lost the match by 15 runs.

Sai Sudharsan

Sai Sudharsan who has been Gujarat Titans‘ one of the best batter in the IPL 2025 season, was also retired out, in the IPL 2023 qualifier match vs Mumbai Indians. Gujarat lost the wicket of Wriddhiman Saha soon after the powerplay ended. But, Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan has the responsibility to not concede a collapse. Sai mostly played 2nd fiddle to Shubman Gill, who scored a century.

Sai was eventually retired out just before the first ball of the final over. Sai was struggling in the match. Since being introduced right after the powerplay, Sai had only scored 43 runs off 31 balls and with GT wanting a hard-hitting batter, he was retired out before the last over with Rashid Khan replacing him. Eventually GT won the match by 62 runs to qualify for the IPL 2023 final which they lost against CSK.

Tilak Varma

Tilak Varma retiring out is the 4th instance in IPL that a batter was retired out. Mumbai Indians were chasing 204 runs target and the opening duo failed for them. Naman Dhir and Suryakumar Yadav played crucial knowns. Tilak was introduced to the crease in the 9th over when things were looking good for MI.

But from there on, Tilak played 23 balls and scored only 25 runs. He hit only 2 fours during his inning and he was eventually retired out when MI needed 24 runs in 7 balls with Mitchell Santner. It eventually didn’t work as MI lost by 12 runs.