4 players to be retired out in IPL ft. Tilak Varma

There are multiple ways for a batter to be dismissed in cricket. However, a batter walking off voluntarily without being actually dismissed is a rare sight.

'Retired out' is a situation where a batter volunteers to leave the field without being dismissed, with no intention to return to bat later in the game. Their wicket is considered to be forfeited, and they are declared out.

Such an instance occurred in the IPL 2025 clash between the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and the Mumbai Indians (MI) on Friday, April 4. MI batter Tilak Varma (25 off 23) retired himself out during their 204-run chase. It did not benefit MI much as they eventually lost the game by 12 runs.

However, this is not the first instance of such an occurrence in the IPL. So, how many batters have been retired out in the cash-rich league to date? Let us find out.

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Players to be retired out in IPL

#4 Tilak Varma

2025 IPL - Lucknow Super Giants v Mumbai Indians - Source: Getty

MI batter Tilak Varma is the most recent player on this list. During their IPL 2025 game against LSG, MI were set a target of 204 runs. Tilak was batting with skipper Hardik Pandya.

However, it was a day for Tilak when he was just not able to get himself going with the bat. He managed to score 25 runs off 23 balls, with just two boundaries, at a strike-rate of 108.7. The left-hander was then retired out, and Mitchell Santner was sent in, a decision that did not make much sense in the context of the game.

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#3 Sai Sudharsan

Rajasthan Royals v Gujarat Titans - IPL 2024 - Source: Getty

Gujarat Titans batter Sai Sudharsan retired out during the second Qualifier of the IPL 2023 season between GT and the Mumbai Indians. Gujarat batted first and registered a massive total of 233/3.

Sai Sudharsan walked in to bat at No. 3. He scored 43 runs off 31 balls with five fours and a six at a strike-rate of 138.70. The then-Gujarat skipper Hardik was batting with him when they decided to take the call. Before the start of the final over, Sudharsan retired out as Rashid Khan came in to bat to boost the total.

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#3 Atharva Taide

Left-handed batter Atharva Taide was playing for the Punjab Kings in IPL 2023 when he retired out during a match against the Delhi Capitals. Delhi had posted a big score of 213/2 after batting first.

In the chase, Atharva Taide scored 55 runs off 42 balls, hitting five fours and two sixes at a strike-rate of 130.95. Taide was unable to increase the scoring rate, and as Punjab still needed 86 runs off the last five overs, he was retired out. However, Punjab lost the game by 15 runs.

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#1 Ravichandran Ashwin

Rajasthan Royals v Delhi Capitals - IPL 2024 - Source: Getty

All-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin was the first player in IPL history to be retired out while batting. He was playing for the Rajasthan Royals in the 2022 season, and the incident occurred in a game against LSG.

Rajasthan batted first. Ashwin was at the crease along with Shimron Hetmyer. He was on 28 runs off 23 balls with a strike-rate of 121.73 when he walked off after the second ball of the 19th over with their score at 135. Riyan Parag came in and Rajasthan eventually finished with 165/6 and won the game by three runs.