OTD| India’s star batter Ambati Rayudu was born in 1985

Ambati Rayudu, a diminutive yet impactful cricketer, is known for his stylish stroke play but equally infamous for his conflicts with management and umpires. His cricketing journey has been marked by twists and turns, taking him through various ups and downs in his career. With his omission from the 2019 World Cup squad, the former India batter decided to quit international cricket citing the decision-making from the selection board.  It was on this day when the veteran India batter was born in Andhra Pradesh at Guntur, Andhra Pradesh. 

The right-hand batter first gained prominence by leading the India Under-19 team to the semi-finals of the 2004 World Cup in Bangladesh. However, his career took a hit due to a disappointing domestic season in the same year and disagreements with his Hyderabad coach. Consequently, he made the move to represent Andhra, which was the first of four different domestic teams he played for.

At the age of 21, Rayudu decided to participate in the unsanctioned Indian Cricket League (ICL) in 2007 nearly derailed his prospects of playing for India. Nevertheless, he accepted the Indian cricket board amnesty offer in 2009, which paved the way for him to be picked up by the Mumbai Indians in the 2010 IPL. This marked the beginning of a successful stint with the franchise, where he consistently emerged as one of their top run-scorers until 2017 and contributed to three IPL title wins.

The prolific batter’s IPL success stood in stark contrast to his intermittent international career. He made his debut for India in a low-profile ODI series in Zimbabwe in 2013, impressing with an unbeaten 63. Despite this promising start, he faced setbacks such as being excluded from the 2015 World Cup squad without getting a game and missing out on the 2016 World T20 selection. 

After a two-year absence from the national team, the 38-year-old made a comeback in 2018, featuring in 11 out of 20 ODIs played by India that year. During this period, he notched up his third ODI century against West Indies, solidifying his position in the side. He seemed like the ideal candidate for India’s No. 4 spot in the 2019 World Cup, but to his disappointment, Vijay Shankar was preferred over him, leading to his announcement of retirement from all forms of cricket in July 2019.

The 38-year-old later reconsidered his retirement decision and continued to play for the Chennai Super Kings in the IPL, displaying his U-turn tendencies. However, it appeared unlikely that he would receive a national team call-up again. Rayudu’s career has been a rollercoaster ride, characterized by his inconsistency at the international level and his remarkable contributions in domestic and IPL cricket. His talent and flair with the bat have left fans wondering what could have been had he enjoyed a more stable and fulfilling international career.