IPL 2025, LSG vs MI: Mumbai Indians captain Hardik Pandya defended a controversial decision that drew raised eyebrows on Wednesday night: retiring out Tilak Varma in the middle of a tense chase against Lucknow Super Giants.
MI were set a daunting target of 204 and had 24 to score in only 7 balls. Batting on 25 off 23 balls, Tilak was finding it hard to clear the ropes. Time ticking away, MI called it off and brought Mitchell Santner in instead.
Hardik, who was batting when the position changed, spoke about the swap during the post-match presentation.
Batting at 25 off 23 in the run chase, #TilakVarma retired himself out to make way for Mitchell Santner! 🤯
— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) April 4, 2025
Only the 4th time a batter has retired out in the IPL!
Watch LIVE action ➡ https://t.co/nH2UGjQY0t #IPLonJioStar 👉 #LSGvMI, LIVE NOW on Star Sports 1, Star Sports 1… pic.twitter.com/NJ0C0F8MvL
“I think that was not hard to figure out,” he said. “We needed some big hits and it wasn’t working. Sometimes you give it your all, and it’s just not your day. The ruling, you know, speaks for itself.”
The gamble didn’t pay off. Mumbai fell short by 12 runs, and Avesh Khan, despite having been tonked for a six by Hardik off the first ball of the final over, executed all his yorkers perfectly from thereon.
In spite of the missed opportunities behind the stumps, Hardik made his mark with the ball, collecting five scalps, including the likes of Aiden Markram, Nicholas Pooran and Rishabh Pant, as they managed to restrict LSG to 203/8. However, he believed MI could have done better on the field.
“We probably let another 12-13 runs go,” he acceded. “That proved the difference on this pitch.”
Suryakumar Yadav provided MI with a glimmer of hope with a classy 67 off 43 but India’s saviour of yesteryears was dismissed at a crucial juncture and MI found themselves scurrying.
Going forward, Hardik said he is enjoying his bowling more than he ever has.
“I’ve always loved bowling, but now I’m thinking about pitch, a good mix, a smart bowl,” he said. “Being aggressive is not just about going kamikaze — it’s about building pressure, provoking errors.”
Hardik’s willingness to take bold decisions — and public backing of those decisions — indicates that he’s not going to shy away from tough calls, while MI’s latest loss leaves them with questions to answer.
