Ambati Rayudu announces his retirement from cricket
Indian cricketer Ambati Rayudu has announced his retirement from all forms of the game. The senior batsman, who was on stand-by for the ongoing ICC World Cup 2019, was overlooked on two occasions. Despite two injuries in the squad, Rayudu was ignored as the selectors picked Rishabh Pant and Mayank Agarwal. Here's more on the same.
Rayudu has written to BCCI
Rayudu will be absolutely gutted after recent instances
It seems to be an emotional decision from the veteran, who must have been gutted after how he was ignored. A poor time against Australia in March 2019, saw Rayudu getting dropped midway in the ODI series. The selectors went in with Vijay Shankar ahead of Rayudu for the 2019 World Cup squad. But despite being named on stand-by list, Rayudu was ignored.
Selectors didn't trust Rayudu?
Rayudu was a part of the Indian ODI team since 2018 as he was backed to be the number four. He did show his worth at home and had a decent series in New Zealand, but perhaps the selectors didn't trust him completely to deliver in England and Wales during the World Cup. This may have led the selectors to ditch him completely.
A look at Rayudu's ODI career
Rayudu played 50 innings for India in ODIs. He scored 1,694 runs at an average of 47.05. His best score was 124*. The right-handed batsman hit three centuries and 10 fifties, besides having a strike rate of 79.04.
Rayudu gets cornered in a difficult situation
Rayudu didn't state any reason behind this step. Initially, it was being reported that Rayudu would be playing the Indian Premier League but his email suggests otherwise. He was trolled by several fans on social media after Mayank was selected above him. In another incident, Iceland cricket offered Rayudu permanent residency to play cricket for them after he was ignored for the second time.
Selectors get the plot wrong: Our take
The selectors and management made the wrong call here. Keeping a player on a stand-by and then selecting someone, who wasn't even a probable, seems as a bizarre move. The Indian team isn't sure about its batsmen and things look confusing out there.
