Tilak Varma’s unusual exit from the game against the Lucknow Super Giants on Friday sparked a lot of discussion. He wasn’t out, but his team, the Mumbai Indians, decided to use the “retired out” rule to replace him. Varma scored 25 runs off 23 balls, with just two fours. This move didn’t work out, as Mumbai lost by 12 runs.
The “retired out” rule is rare in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Only a few players have been pulled out like this. The first was R Ashwin in the 2022 season. He played for the Rajasthan Royals at the time.
Other players like Atharva Taide and Sai Sudarshan have also been “retired out”. Taide was pulled out during a game against the Delhi Capitals in Dharamsala in 2023. Sudarshan’s team, the Gujarat Titans, used this rule during the same season.
How does the “retired out” rule work?
In the IPL, a team can pull out a batsman without the umpire’s permission and replace them with a new one. This is considered “retired out”, and the batsman can’t come back to bat. However, if the opposing team and the umpire agree, the batsman can return to bat – but only after a wicket falls.
The “retired out” rule is different from when a player leaves due to injury. In that case, they can come back to bat before the innings ends.
As seen in the case of Tilak Varma, this rule can be used strategically. However, it’s not a common practice and can affect a player’s confidence, as some fans pointed out on social media.
Sky’s sad reaction for Tilak verma when they made him retired out. It will truly dent the Confidence of Tilak Varma pic.twitter.com/jJOy60cqAi
— Radha (@Rkc1511165) April 5, 2025
