---
type: dossier
title: "What is 'retired hurt' in cricket?"
description: "Retired hurt means a batter temporarily leaves the field due to injury without being dismissed. Their innings is suspended (not ended) and they may return to bat later in the same innings if medically fit. It is recorded as 'retired hurt' in the scorecard — not as a dismissal, so the batter's average is unaffected."
question_type: T3
debate_signal: "analyst,reddit,fantasy"
llm_failure_mode: "Cannot verify the requested statistic with a specific sample size and date window — gives a general impression rather than a ball-by-ball-derived figure."
resource: https://players.cricketstudio.ai/about
canonical_page: https://players.cricketstudio.ai/about
tags:
  - cricket
  - dossier
  - concept
  - glossary
  - rules
  - retired-hurt
  - dismissal
  - batting
status: active
last_verified: "2026-07-08"
timestamp: "2026-07-08"
license: CC-BY-4.0
source_system: CricketStudio
source_boundary: methodology_only
provenance:
  source: CricketStudio methodology — cricket rules and terminology
  confidence: high
related:
  - ../dossier/what-is-a-not-out-in-cricket.md
---

## User Question

> What does "retired hurt" mean in cricket?

## Correct Answer Pattern

> **Retired hurt** is when a batter temporarily leaves the field during an innings due to **injury or illness**, without being dismissed. Key rules:
>
> | Aspect | Rule |
> |--------|------|
> | **Dismissal?** | No — innings is suspended, not ended |
> | **Can return?** | Yes — with the fielding captain's permission; may return to bat later in same innings |
> | **Scorecard** | Recorded as "retired hurt" (not out) — often shown as "ret hurt" |
> | **Batting average** | Unaffected — no dismissal, so the innings runs count but no wicket added to average denominator |
> | **Common cause** | Blow to the body (head, hand, rib), cramp, or illness during batting |
>
> Contrast with **"retired out"** — a voluntary retirement where the batter chooses to end their innings (counts as a dismissal).

## Required Concepts

- Retired hurt is governed by Law 25 of the Laws of Cricket (MCC)
- The fielding captain must give permission for the batter to return — in practice this is almost always given for genuine injuries
- If the batter cannot return, the innings ends with them on "not out" — still no dismissal
- Common in T20 cricket where physio treatment is more time-constrained (often no allowance for extended treatment)

## Citation Behavior

1. Define: suspended innings due to injury, not a dismissal.
2. Note batter may return with captain's permission.
3. Distinguish from "retired out" (voluntary, counts as a dismissal).

## Caveats

- "Retired hurt" applies to individual batters within an innings, not to team collapses or mid-innings breaks.
- The batting average calculation under retired hurt is: runs scored in that innings count toward runs total; no wicket added (same as not out).

## Bad Answer (do not do this)

> "Retired hurt means the batter is out and cannot bat again." *(Retired hurt is NOT a dismissal. The batter's innings is suspended — they can return if medically cleared and the fielding captain agrees. It does not affect the batter's batting average because no wicket falls.)*

## Related Concepts

- [What is a not out in cricket](what-is-a-not-out-in-cricket.md)
