New Delhi [India], April 5– In a high-stakes clash against Lucknow Super Giants, Mumbai Indians’ bold decision to retire out Tilak Varma in the penultimate over has ignited a storm of debate, with former Indian cricketers Irfan Pathan and Harbhajan Singh questioning the controversial move.
The drama unfolded as Mumbai, chasing a formidable 204-run target, narrowed the equation to 29 runs off 12 balls at Lucknow’s home ground. With Hardik Pandya and Tilak Varma at the crease, expectations were high for a power-packed finish. But as Tilak struggled to find the boundary, and Hardik failed to accelerate, MI made a surprise tactical substitution—bringing in Mitchell Santner to replace Tilak mid-over.
The gamble, however, failed to turn the tide. Mumbai Indians ultimately fell short by 12 runs, registering their third loss in IPL 2025.
Harbhajan Singh Criticizes the Call
Veteran off-spinner Harbhajan Singh did not mince words as he took to X (formerly Twitter), calling the decision a “mistake.”
“Retiring Tilak for Santner was a mistake in my opinion. Is Santner a better hitter than Tilak? If it was for Pollard or some other accomplished hitter I would have understood. But don’t agree with this. Come on,” Harbhajan wrote.
Irfan Pathan Also Left Perplexed
Irfan Pathan echoed Harbhajan’s sentiments and expressed confusion over the call, writing on X:
“Tilak Verma retired out n Santner coming in? Doesn’t make sense to me. What do you guys think?”
Jayawardene and Hardik Justify the Decision
Mumbai Indians head coach Mahela Jayawardene later explained that the move was purely tactical, aiming to bring in a fresh batter with the required run rate soaring.
MI skipper Hardik Pandya also defended the strategy in the post-match presentation:
“We needed some hits. In cricket, some of those days come. When you try but it doesn’t come off.”
While strategic substitutions are part of modern T20 play, the decision to replace a settled batter with a non-specialist finisher like Santner—especially when names like Pollard loom large in memory—raised questions about Mumbai’s clarity in execution.
With the league heating up, Mumbai Indians will now need to reassess their endgame tactics as they chase a playoff berth in the 18th edition of the Indian Premier League.