Former India cricketer Harbhajan Singh has slammed Mumbai Indians’ tactical decision to retire Tilak Varma out in favour of Mitchell Santner during their 12-run loss to Lucknow Super Giants in the IPL 2025 clash. Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Harbhajan voiced his disapproval, writing:
“Retiring Tilak for Santer was a mistake in my opinion. Is Santner a better hitter than Tilak? If it was for Pollard or some other accomplished hitter I would have understood. But don’t agree with this. Come on @mipaltan”
His post comes after Mumbai fell short in a tense chase of 204, finishing on 191/5 in 20 overs. The decision to retire Tilak Varma drew criticism from fans and experts alike, especially since he appeared to be struggling with strike rotation and momentum during a crucial phase of the innings.
Tilak’s slow stay at the crease, followed by his substitution, was identified as one of the turning points of the match. Commentators also pointed out that his inability to rotate strike put added pressure on Suryakumar Yadav (SKY), whose wicket eventually tilted the match in LSG’s favour. Even with a late push, MI couldn’t close the gap, needing 21 off the final over.
Avesh Khan held his nerve in the death, and Rathi’s timely breakthroughs ensured Lucknow walked away with the win. But the tactical blunder of retiring Tilak remains the major talking point — and Harbhajan Singh has certainly made his stance loud and clear.
