The Indian Premier League (IPL) is famous not only for exciting matches, good players, etc., but also for some moves that transform the game away from traditional performance. One great example is the tactical "retired out," in which a batter is dismissed without injury voluntarily as a result of a strategy to replace the batter with a different batter that makes sense from the context of the match.

1. Ravichandran Ashwin - Rajasthan Royals vs. LSG, 2022

Ashwin still wrote himself into the history books a little during IPL 2022, as he became the first player to be retired out. In this example, Rajasthan Royals chose to take Ashwin off in a match against Lucknow Super Giants in the 19th over so they could send in a more aggressive batter for the end-game thrust. Aside from shocking the vast majority, it opened some new strategic doors in the IPL.

Also Read: IPL 2025: 3 players who can replace Rishabh Pant as LSG captain

2. Atharva  Taide - Punjab Kings vs. DC, 2023

Punjab Kings retired Atharva after he made 26 in IPL 2023. Taide is making an impact on the field against Delhi Capitals. While he was consistently able to provide the foundation with the bat, he often couldn’t raise the pace in bursts when the side needed an influx of runs all of a sudden. His team management further decided to remove him from play for the duration, emphasizing that this “retired out” option was not merely a one-off response.

3. Sai Sudharsan - GT vs. MI, 2023

The second instance, well on the verge of becoming a trend, came in the same season when Gujarat Titans employed tactical retirement to retire out Sai Sudharsan against Mumbai Indians. It was a smart gamble to add a known playoff sniper and represented that franchises were willing to get aggressive and take chances, even with their growing young core.

Also Read: IPL 2025: SRH vs GT - A Head to Head breakdown

4. Tilak Varma - Mumbai Indians vs. LSG, 2025

It doesn’t stop here; the further names you could be adding to this list as of right now are Tilak Varma and IPL 2025. Mumbai Indians made the shocking call in their game against Lucknow Super Giants, inarguably overshadowing another show of personnel over strategy far too often seen in today’s game.

Retired outs in the IPL are fast becoming a not-so-trendy new black mark-added trend in waiting. With the search to extend the margins and find any edge possible, teams aren’t leaving any stone unturned, and “retired out” might just be the sharpest new tool in the league’s strategic playbook.

During the IPL 2025 match against the hosts Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) last Friday night (April 4), Mumbai Indians (MI) were forced to retire out Tilak Varma in desperation for the victory. 

After MI captain Hardik Pandya chose to field first, LSG scored 203/8. At the same time, MI skipper Hardik Pandya created history by becoming the first captain to record a fifer in the IPL (5/36). This was also Pandya's first five-wicket haul in T20s. Despite that, the hosts managed to put a big total thanks to two powerful half-centuries from the openers, Mitchell Marsh (60) and Aiden Markram (53). 

Tilak Varma was retired out 

In reply, MI batters Naman Dhir (46) and Suryakumar Yadav (67) brilliantly put the visitors back in the big chase. However, Tilak Varma struggled in the chase, as MI were stuck in the process. Varma scored 25 off 23 balls with only two fours, and desperate MI finally decided to retire him out when they required 24 more runs in seven balls. 

Mitchell Santner replaced retired-out Varma. Although captain Hardik Pandya fought hard, with 28 not out off 16 balls, MI lost the match by 12 runs. This means that the retired-out decision was too late for the five-time IPL champions. 

Later, the MI head coach Mahela Jayawardene confirmed that he recalled Tilak Varma, by calling it a tactical decision. He further added, "It's like a football situation where the manager substitutes a player in the closing stages. Cricket is exploring new grounds. Interesting and exciting."

See Also: Twitter reactions after Lucknow Super Giants second win of IPL 2025

Difference between Retired - not out and Retired - out

‘Retired - not out’, which is commonly known as “retired hurt”, and ‘Retired - out’ are two different terms in the game. Both have been clearly mentioned in the MCC law. 

• According to 25.4.2, “If a batter retires because of illness, injury or any other unavoidable cause, that batter is entitled to resume his/her innings. If for any reason, this does not happen, that batter is to be recorded as ‘Retired - not out’.”

However, ‘Retired - out’ is different than the common “retired hurt”.

• The MCC law 25.4.3 claims, “If a batter retires for any reason other than as in 25.4.2, the innings of that batter may be resumed only with the consent of the opposing captain. If for any reason his/her innings is not resumed, that batter is to be recorded as ‘Retired - out’.”

List of players Retired - out in IPL so far

Tilak Varma wasn’t the first batter to record ‘Retired - out’ in IPL history. In the IPL 2022, Ravichandran Ashwin was trending after becoming the first cricketer in IPL history to record it. Varma was the fourth batter in IPL history to be involved in the ‘Retired - out’.

• Ravichandran Ashwin (Rajasthan Royals): 28 runs off 23 balls – vs Lucknow Super Giants (IPL 2022)

• Atharva Taide (Punjab Kings): 55 runs off 42 balls – vs Delhi Capitals (IPL 2023)

• Sai Sudharsan (Gujarat Titans): 43 runs off 31 balls – vs Mumbai Indians (IPL 2023)

• Tilak Varma (Mumbai Indians): 25 runs off 23 balls – vs Lucknow Super Giants (IPL 2025)
  

With five overs left, Atharva Taide was struggling. He gave a few chances, which Delhi did not take and with the required rate rising, Punjab had to make a tactical call. In the end, he walked off retired out with Punjab needing 86 in the last five, so that the Kings could get their hitters in. By doing so, Atharva Taide became the second batter to get retired out, after Ravichandran Ashwin last season.

Behind him, Jitesh Sharma, Sam Curran and Shah Rukh Khan were waiting so the move was justified, but was it too late and did it deprive Atharva Taide from converting his score into something big. He did bat for a considerable time, and despite making 50, he did not look too good with his control. He gave some catches which were not taken, indicating that there was a case for him being retired out earlier.

The retired-out decision though remains a tricky one. It is a decision that has had some attention on quite a few occasions, and Rahul Tewatia’s example in 2020 is a prime one. During that famous innings, he went through a big struggle, making 14 off 21, in a chase where the required rate was nudging three a ball. What followed after though was an amazing turnaround which made Rahul Tewatia the finisher.

With that innings in mind, there was a possibility of Punjab Kings and sides in general waiting before retiring a batter out. In hindsight though Atharva Taide’s decision could be considered a little late. A few balls after he walked out Jitesh Sharma was dismissed questioning the move, but four overs of carnage left spectators wondering what could have happened if the likes of Curran and Shah Rukh Khan came in a couple overs earlier.

Had Delhi taken their catches, the decision would have been a lot easier, allowing the hitters to come in at around the 12th over, changing the story a touch. The situation was similar, although it happened when Rajasthan batted first last season. Back then, Ravichandran Ashwin walked off in the 19th over, giving Riyan Parag 8 balls to try and push Rajasthan to a bigger score, knowing that the side has more potential in the batting line-up.

For Punjab, the move was a daring one as well, and it almost paid off. The success of the move will be noticed by other sides, and it may not be long before teams explore with the timing of such decisions going forward.