Mumbai Indians head coach Mahela Jayawardene backed left-handed batter Tilak Varma ahead of the crucial fixture against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the IPL 2025 edition. This comes after the management retired Tilak during the Lucknow Super Giants match, which the five-time champions lost.
Tilak Varma failed to get going against LSG in Lucknow. In the penultimate over of the contest, the left-handed batter was called back to the dugout, and Mitchell Santner was sent instead. Tilak Varma scored 25 runs off 23 balls, including two boundaries. Throughout the innings, he could not time the ball properly, struggling to get the big hits.
The decision to retire Tilak Varma caused a lot of furore on social media, and fans slammed captain Hardik and coach Jayawardene for taking such a call.
With this, Tilak Varma became just the fourth player in the history of the cash-rich league to be retired out. Ahead of the match against RCB, Mahela Jayawardene once again backed his decision, saying it was just "tactical".
"I know it's a taboo created by everyone. In the modern age, it's more tactical, and we will keep changing batting lineups to match up certain bowling line-ups. So, I don't see how different that is. As a batter, I have had times when you go to bat and struggle to get through. He batted very well for us in the last three games in tough situations and built important partnerships," Jayawardene told reporters at the pre-match press conference.
{{/usCountry}}"I know it's a taboo created by everyone. In the modern age, it's more tactical, and we will keep changing batting lineups to match up certain bowling line-ups. So, I don't see how different that is. As a batter, I have had times when you go to bat and struggle to get through. He batted very well for us in the last three games in tough situations and built important partnerships," Jayawardene told reporters at the pre-match press conference.
{{/usCountry}}"That's the role with his experience that he brings to the game, and I still value that. He was trying and couldn't get going in Lucknow. It was my decision to throw someone else to get to those two hits. Santner had done that in the last few games and was in good form," he added.
'Nothing to do with Tilak'
Jayawardene stressed that the call was "tactical" and had nothing to do with Tilak Varma, the batter. The former Sri Lanka skipper backed the youngster to come good against Rajat Patidar's RCB.
"So, it was a tactical call and nothing to do with Tilak. Tomorrow, he will walk in and win the match for us. That's who Tilak is for us and there's so much value for him in our camp," said Jayawardene.
The head coach also confirmed Jasprit Bumrah's availability for the upcoming match at the Wankhede Stadium. Right-handed batter Rohit Sharma, who missed the previous match against Lucknow, is also expected to feature in the contest against Virat Kohli and co.
Mumbai Indians are currently placed at the eighth spot in the points table and the five-time champions are desperately looking for a win to change their fortunes.