Is Ambati Rayudu retired: The veteran Indian batter scored a stroke filled half-century at the Wankhede Stadium tonight.
Advertisement
Veteran Chennai Super Kings batter Ambati Rayudu’s stroke-filled half-century against Punjab Kings in the ongoing 15th season of the Indian Premier League went in vain as his team failed to seal a 188-run target tonight.
Coming in to bat at No. 5 in the eighth over with his team needing more than 11 runs per over to win the match, Rayudu batted at a strike rate of 200 scoring 78 (39) with the help of seven fours and six sixes.
Making the most of run-scoring opportunities in a desperate situation, Rayudu did pretty well at dispatching multiple rank short balls and full tosses into the stands.
ALSO READ: Can CSK qualify for IPL 2022 playoffs?
In what was his 30th T20 half-century, it was his 22nd in the IPL, eighth for Super Kings, seventh at the Wankhede Stadium and third against Punjab.
Is Ambati Rayudu retired from international cricket?
Rayudu, 36, is into his 13th IPL season (fifth at CSK). Rayudu, who had played his first eight IPL seasons for Mumbai Indians, had last played for India during a home ODI series against Australia more than three years ago.
A six-year old international career had witnessed Rayudu playing 55 ODIs and six T20Is for India scoring 1,736 runs in 55 innings at an average and strike rate of 43.40 and 79.16 respectively including three centuries and 10 half-centuries.
ALSO READ: Has Robin Uthappa retired from international cricket?
Despite being backed publicly by the then India captain Virat Kohli as India’s No. 4 for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019, Rayudu had failed to even make it to the squad. While the decision had shocked many, it resulted in Rayudu retiring from all formats. However, soon after, Rayudu had made a U-turn to express his availability for national selection.
While Rayudu hasn’t played first-class cricket for over four years now, he continues to represent Andhra in List A and T20 formats.
