In cricket, a batter may leave the field during their innings when the ball is dead. Most commonly, this happens due to injury or illness, and that situation is called retired hurt. The retired batter can return later in the innings once they are fit. Retired out, by contrast, happens when a batter voluntarily leaves the field for reasons other than injury or illness (for example, a tactical decision by the team).
When a batter is retired out, they are not allowed to resume their innings, and the dismissal is recorded as a completed departure, similar to being out. This is a rare occurrence and has mostly been seen in T20 franchise cricket, where teams sometimes make tactical choices late in the innings to bring in a different batter or change momentum.
Recent instances include Pakistan’s Mohammad Rizwan being retired out while playing for Melbourne Renegades in the BBL on January 12, 2026, and Ayushi Soni becoming the first WPL player to be retired out during Gujarat Giants’ match against Mumbai Indians on January 13, 2026.
5 Players Who Have Been Retired Out In T20 Cricket
Here are some notable cases (across domestic and franchise T20 formats):
Notable Retired Out Instances in Cricket
| Player | Team | Match/Tournament | Opponent | Date | Significance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sonam Tobgay | Bhutan | T20I | Maldives | 2019 | First retired out in T20I cricket |
| Ravichandran Ashwin | Rajasthan Royals | IPL 2022 | Lucknow Super Giants | 2022 | First retired out in IPL history |
| Atharva Taide | Punjab Kings | IPL 2023 | – | 2023 | Second retired out in IPL |
| Mohammad Rizwan | Melbourne Renegades | BBL 2025-26 | Sydney Thunder | January 12, 2026 | Retired out in BBL |
| Ayushi Soni | Gujarat Giants Women | WPL 2026 | Mumbai Indians Women | January 13, 2026 | First retired out in WPL history |
When Can A Retired Hurt Batsman Return?
A batsman who retires hurt (injured or unwell) is allowed to return to continue their innings if:
- They are medically fit, and
- They return at the fall of the next wicket or with the umpires’ knowledge when the next batter is out.
This return is not automatic, and it requires that the player has recovered and the batting order allows it.
Retired Out vs Retired Hurt (Quick Difference)
- Retired Hurt: Happens due to injury/illness. The batter can return later in the innings when fit.
- Retired Out: The batter leaves for tactical or non-medical reasons and cannot return to bat again in that innings.
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FAQs
Retired out refers to a batter leaving the field voluntarily for non-medical reasons, ending their innings as a dismissal.
No. Retired hurt is due to injury and allows return; retired out does not allow return.
In T20 formats, teams may do this for tactical reasons, such as improving the scoring rate or changing match strategy.
Yes. It is recorded as a dismissal in the scorebook and affects batting statistics.
No. Once a batter is retired, they cannot resume their innings.
