In cricket, a batter may retire from an innings at any time when the ball is dead; they must then be replaced by a teammate who has not been dismissed. The most common reason for retirement is if the batter becomes injured or unwell, in which case they can resume their innings.
Retirement is covered by Law 25 of the Laws of Cricket,[1] which distinguishes between two types of retirement. If the batter is ill or injured they are considered retired - not out and are permitted to return to batting if they recover. In all other cases the batter is considered retired - out and may not return to the innings, unless the opposing captain offers an exemption. These two types of retirement are considered differently in cricket statistics.