Mahela Jayawardene Defends Tactical Call to Retire Tilak Varma in MI's 12-Run Loss to LSG

Mumbai Indians' Bold Move Falls Short in IPL Thriller Against Lucknow Super Giants​

Lucknow, April 5 – In a high-octane IPL clash at the Ekana Cricket Stadium, Mumbai Indians' (MI) head coach Mahela Jayawardene justified the controversial decision to retire impact player Tilak Varma during their chase against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), calling it a "tactical" move that ultimately failed to deliver.

MI, chasing a daunting target of 204, fell short by 12 runs, finishing at 191/5 despite a strong start and key contributions from Suryakumar Yadav and skipper Hardik Pandya.

Jayawardene on Tilak's Retirement: "Not Nice, But Tactical"​

Tilak Varma, a crucial cog in MI’s batting line-up and a two-time T20I centurion for India, struggled to accelerate and managed only 25 runs off 23 balls. As the pressure mounted with 24 runs needed off the last seven deliveries, MI made a bold call to retire him and bring in Mitchell Santner, a move Jayawardene admitted was difficult.

“These things happen in cricket. And (it was) not nice to take him out, but I had to do that — it was a tactical decision at that point,” Jayawardene said during the post-match press conference.

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He added that although Tilak had settled in, he was unable to find the big shots when it mattered. “I waited till the last few overs hoping that because he spent some time there, he should have been able to get that hit out of the way. But I just felt that I needed someone fresh to go as he was struggling,” he explained.

Final Over Drama and MI's Missed Chances​

Despite a six off the first ball from Avesh Khan in the final over by Hardik Pandya (28 off 16), MI managed just three more runs from the next five balls. Santner faced only two deliveries and couldn’t find the boundary.

Jayawardene rued MI’s inability to close out games despite being in commanding positions.

“Even at the 14th over mark, we were at par. We had the game in control most of the time, even after losing two early wickets. It was just disappointing that we couldn't finish it,” he said, urging his team to be “more ruthless” in similar scenarios moving forward.

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LSG Coach Justin Langer Applauds Death Bowling Efforts​

LSG head coach Justin Langer praised his bowlers, especially Shardul Thakur and Avesh Khan, for holding their nerve during the crunch overs.

“Shardul Thakur’s second-last over was outstanding, and Avesh Khan prides himself on bowling those tight overs,” said Langer. He also commended Ravi Bishnoi’s resurgence, adding that the team had learned from their earlier defeat to Delhi Capitals.

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Injury Concerns Loom Over LSG Bowling Unit​

LSG’s bowling attack continues to be tested by injuries. While Avesh Khan returned for this game, Akash Deep made his season debut, and pace spearhead Mayank Yadav remains out with a toe injury after recovering from a back issue.

Providing an update, Langer said:

“He’s working very hard at the NCA. I saw a video of him bowling yesterday — he was at about 90 to 95% intensity. That’s great news for Indian cricket and the IPL.”

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He credited the National Cricket Academy for helping both Avesh Khan and Akash Deep get match-ready.

"Just Keep Him Smiling": Langer Backs Rishabh Pant Amid Lean Patch​

Addressing concerns around captain Rishabh Pant’s form — with scores of 0, 15, 2, and 2 — Langer took a light-hearted yet empathetic tone.

“He’ll be fine. Don’t worry about Rishi. I’ve got one job, and that’s just to keep him smiling,” Langer said.

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He acknowledged the immense pressure Pant faces as captain and a marquee signing, adding:

“We’ve won 50% of our games so far and Rishi hasn’t made many runs yet. Imagine when he does.”

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