Mumbai Indians' head coach Mahela Jayawardene disclosed that he made the decisive choice to retire Tilak Varma in the second-to-last over during the chase against Lucknow Super Giants. Tilak had a disappointing performance with the bat while Mumbai Indians pursued a target of 204 runs against LSG in Lucknow. The left-handed batsman, who entered the game as an impact player for MI, found it difficult to establish momentum, scoring 25 runs off 23 balls, which included a few boundaries, but he was unable to accelerate the scoring.

With 24 runs required from the final seven balls, Tilak Varma opted to retire himself out, allowing Mitchell Santner to take his place. Ultimately, the five-time champions fell short, losing the match by 12 runs, as Santner faced only two deliveries.

Jayawardene clarified that the decision to retire Tilak was his own and not that of captain Hardik Pandya, while also commending the left-handed batsman for his role in stabilizing the innings alongside Suryakumar Yadav during the middle overs.

"I believe Tilak played well for us after we lost that wicket, forming a partnership with Surya. He was eager to accelerate but just couldn't find his rhythm," Jayawardene stated in the post-match press conference.

The head coach elaborated on his reasoning for the decision, noting that he had given Tilak ample time and waited until the penultimate over. However, upon observing Tilak's difficulty in hitting big shots, he felt it was essential to introduce a fresh batter.

"I held off until the final overs, hoping that since he had spent some time at the crease, he would be able to break the shackles. But ultimately, I felt we needed someone new, as he was struggling," he added.

‘Not nice to take Tilak out but…’

With 22 runs needed in the final over, Hardik sparked some hope for MI by hitting a six off Avesh Khan's first delivery. However, the LSG bowler quickly regained his composure, conceding only three runs from the subsequent five balls. Santner had limited opportunities to make an impact with the bat, as he only faced the last deliveries of the second-to-last and final overs of the chase.

The head coach of MI described the move as a strategic choice aimed at achieving a favorable outcome.

"When situations like this arise in cricket, it is regrettable to take him out, but it was a necessary tactical decision at that moment," he stated.

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