If you are Tilak Varma, it is entirely understandable to feel disheartened and upset. Few would fault you for feeling a bit irritated as well. The Mumbai Indians boast one of the most formidable Indian batting lineups in the IPL, featuring talents like Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, and Hardik Pandya. Nevertheless, Tilak Varma has already established himself as a noteworthy player, deserving recognition among them.

In his 42 matches with MI, Tilak has amassed 1,251 runs at a strike rate of 143.14. For the Indian national team, he has scored 749 runs in 25 matches, maintaining an average close to 50 and an impressive strike rate of 155. His outstanding performance in T20Is has earned him the fourth position in the ICC T20I rankings.

Given these accomplishments, it was surprising to see Tilak asked to retire simply because he was struggling to perform against the Lucknow Super Giants on Friday. He managed only two boundaries off 23 balls before the MI management decided to substitute him. At that moment, the five-time champions required 24 runs from 7 balls.

This marked only the fourth instance in IPL history where a player was retired. The individual who took Tilak's place was New Zealand all-rounder Mitchell Santner, who has an IPL strike rate of 106 and a career T20I strike rate of 120, with just 29 sixes to his name. In contrast, Tilak has hit 61 sixes in the IPL alone.

While Santner is undoubtedly a skilled batter, he would likely concur that Tilak, despite his recent difficulties, was better equipped to lead MI to victory given the required run rate. This may explain why Santner offered a supportive gesture as Tilak passed by, likely an attempt to comfort his teammate, a talented player with a history of securing victories for MI.

As Tilak made his way back to the pavilion, his disappointment was palpable. Instead of heading directly to the dressing room, he chose to sit on the dugout, where a member of the MI support staff sat beside him, offering comfort with an arm around the left-handed batter.

The mood in the MI dugout did not change much as captain Hardik Pandya, who strangely denied a single in the last over and Santner failed to hit the big shots. LSG won the match by 12 runs.

MI coach Mahela Jayawardene wanted Tilak to retire

We required some runs, but he was unable to secure them. In cricket, there are days when despite your efforts, success eludes you. My approach is to keep it straightforward: focus on playing quality cricket. Make better decisions, bowl intelligently, and take calculated risks while batting. This tournament is lengthy; a couple of victories can help establish a rhythm, Hardik explained regarding Tilak's retirement.

MI head coach Mahela Jayawardene stated that the decision was his, as he sought to introduce fresh players in the final stages of the match. "Tilak performed well for us after we lost that wicket and built a partnership with Surya. He was eager to score but struggled to do so. I held off until the last few overs, hoping that since he had spent some time at the crease, he would be able to find his rhythm. However, I ultimately felt the need for someone fresh, as he was having difficulties. It’s never easy to make such decisions, but it was a tactical choice I had to make at that moment," he remarked.

Read Also: ‘MS Dhoni Started This Trend’: CSK Legend Drawn Into Debate as Hardik Faces Heat Over Santner Snub

Get the latest Bollywood entertainment news, trending celebrity news, latest celebrity news, new movie reviews, latest entertainment news, latest Bollywood news, and Bollywood celebrity fashion & style updates!

HOW DID YOU LIKE THIS ARTICLE? CHOOSE YOUR EMOTICON!