In a rare and dramatic twist during Friday's IPL clash, Mumbai Indians' (MI) young batter Tilak Varma became only the fourth player in IPL history to be 'retired out', walking off the field with just seven balls left in a steep 204-run chase against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG).

After coming in as an Impact Sub, Tilak struggled to find fluency on a slow track at the Wankhede, managing 25 off 23 balls. Despite a solid 66-run partnership with the in-form Suryakumar Yadav, it became evident Tilak couldn't shift gears as the chase tightened. With MI needing 24 from 7 balls and five wickets still in hand, the decision was made: Tilak was pulled out of the middle — not by injury, but by strategy.

MI head coach Mahela Jayawardene later revealed it was a calculated move:

"He just wanted to get going but he couldn't... not nice to take him out, but I had to. It was a tactical decision at that point."

MI captain Hardik Pandya echoed the sentiment post-match, pointing out the urgency of the situation:

"We needed some hits, and he was not [able to get them]... the decision speaks for itself."

At the time Tilak walked in, MI were cruising at 86/3 after 8.1 overs, but the run rate spiked as overs ticked down. Suryakumar's 46 off 30 gave MI hope, but once he fell, the onus was on Tilak — and he couldn't deliver. His last boundary came off an outside edge, symbolizing a night where nothing quite clicked for him.

Unfortunately for MI, the bold tactical call didn't pay off. They fell 12 runs short, and LSG walked away with a crucial win.

While the move sparked debate across cricket circles, one thing's for sure: tactical retirements are no longer taboo — they're a part of modern T20 strategy. But as MI learned the hard way, bold moves don't always bring big rewards.