IPL 2025: Tilak Varma Out of Mumbai Indians to Kavya Maran’s SRH?

Mumbai Indians batsman Tilak Varma had a difficult time in the last match against Lucknow Supergiants. Even though he was struggling all tournament to get some runs under his belt, his troubles became evident when he was expected to take charge in a tight run chase against Lucknow. Despite everyone expecting Tilak Varma to shift tactics, the MI batsman failed to do so, leading to the team's defeat in the match.

But something weird happened during the final overs of the match. As the target became impossible to chase, MI management asked Tilak Varma to retire. Coach Mahela Jayawerdene issued the order, and it was immediately conveyed to Tilak. There was no resistance from the captain Hardik Pandya, who was the non-striker when this drama was unfolding. Helpless, Tilak walked off the ground, and Mitchell Santner took his place. Mumbai Indians lost the match.

There was a giant backlash on social media over this call from MI management. Even Suryakumar Yadav looked disgruntled when the same was conveyed to him by Mahela. Mitchell Santner is not as outstanding a batsman as Tilak, and therefore the decision to replace Tilak with the New Zealander didn't make the appropriate sense.

This move from Mumbai Indians must have been a giant blow to Tilak's confidence, as it gave the indication that the team didn't believe in his abilities to hit sixes and close off the game when needed. Every player experiences periods of poor form, and at the moment, this Hyderabadi batsman is going through a challenging period. Players expect franchises to support them during this dull phase so they can repay the team's faith.

With this decision from the Mumbai Indians, there have been multiple reports of Tilak Varma wanting to move out of the franchise, and he apparently even removed "Mumbai Indians" from his Instagram bio. Reports have been circulating that Tilak is leaving the Mumbai team midway and joining Kavya Maran's Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH).

Premier leagues like MLB (Major League Baseball) have this mid-season transfer option. The league introduced this rule to support players who wish to leave mid-season due to the extended baseball season in America. However, that is not possible with the Indian Premier League (IPL), as it is just a two-month tournament.

Tilak Varma will remain with the Mumbai Indians for the time being, and despite his disappointment with the team's performance, he is preparing to showcase his skills against the Royal Challengers Bengaluru at Wankhede Stadium.