Surinder Khanna Critiques MI's Choice to Retire Tilak Varma
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Synopsis
Surinder Khanna expressed his concerns over Mumbai Indians' decision to retire Tilak Varma, labeling it shocking and questioning its impact on young players. The move, made during a crucial match, raised doubts about player confidence and decision-making in high-pressure situations.
Key Takeaways
- Surinder Khanna critiques MI's decision about Tilak Varma.
- Retiring out a player can damage their confidence.
- Importance of faith in players’ abilities.
- Unusual tactical substitution raised eyebrows.
- The match outcome further highlighted the decision's flaws.
New Delhi, April 5 (NationPress) Former India cricketer Surinder Khanna described the Mumbai Indians' decision to retire out Tilak Varma as both shocking and surprising, raising concerns about the potential effects on a young player's confidence. The incident unfolded during Mumbai's challenging chase of 204 runs against the Lucknow Super Giants on Friday, when head coach Mahela Jayawardene made an unusual tactical substitution in the late stages of the match.
With 24 runs required from the last seven balls, Jayawardene executed a football-style substitution, replacing Tilak—who had contributed 25 runs off 23 balls—with Mitchell Santner in a bid to infuse new energy into the chase.
“The outcome clearly indicates that the choice to retire out Tilak Varma was incorrect. It’s a critical match scenario. It seems inappropriate to label someone as retired out. If he exits voluntarily or due to an injury, that’s a different story, but retiring him based on his performance that day is not warranted,” Khanna expressed during a video call with IANS.
Khanna emphasized the importance of having faith in a player's capabilities, particularly when they are given a designated position in the batting lineup. “When a player is assigned a specific batting order, there should be confidence in their ability,” he stated.
He added, “It was unexpected, I must say. Surprising to see him being removed, which may have undermined his confidence. Too many opinions spoil the outcome.”
This decision came after Tilak found it difficult to hit boundaries despite spending a significant amount of time at the crease. Coming in at No. 5 during a pivotal moment when MI were 86 for 3 in the ninth over, he initially demonstrated promise by forming a solid partnership with Suryakumar Yadav. However, as the chase became more demanding, the southpaw struggled to accelerate, particularly after Suryakumar's dismissal in the 17th over, which shifted the match's momentum in favor of the LSG.
Nevertheless, the strategy backfired as the Mumbai Indians ultimately lost the match by 12 runs.
