New Delhi: Several former cricketers have sympathised with Ambati Rayudu after he decided to quit from all forms of cricket having been overlooked twice as replacement for India’s World Cup squad.
The 33-year-old Rayudu was in contention for the World Cup 2019 squad but lost his place to all-rounder Vijay Shankar.
Slighted after being ignored as a replacement for the injured Shikhar Dhawan and Shankar in India’s World Cup team, Rayudu decided announced his decision to retire.
Rishabh Pant and Mayank Agarwal were called up as Dhawan and Shankar’s replacement respectively in the 15-member squad ahead of Rayudu.
“I have come to the decision to step away from the sport and retire from all forms and levels of the game,” Rayudu informed the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
“It has been a wonderful journey of playing the sport and learning from every up and down it brought upon for the last 25 years at various different levels,” he stated.
Gautam Gambhir stated that Rayudu’s decision was a sad moment for Indian cricket.
“A cricketer like him that has played so well in the IPL and for the nation, scored three 100’s and ten 50’s, and despite that if a player has to retire – it is a sad moment for Indian cricket,” Gambhir said during the pre-match show of the England vs New Zealand World Cup match on Wednesday.
Gambhir also said that the five-member selection panel combined cannot score the amount of runs Rayudu has scored for the country.
“Five selectors combined would not have made the runs Rayudu has in his career. I feel extremely sad about this retirement. Rishabh Pant and Mayank Agarwal got selected amidst the World Cup injuries, and anyone in Rayudu’s place would have felt equally bad,” Gambhir added.
Former opener Virendr Sehwag said he felt the pain which Rayudu went through after getting omitted.
Former skipper of India’s women’s cricket team said it was unfair to overlook him once he was named in the World Cup probables list.
Rayudu made his first-class debut in the 2001-02 season for Hyderabad in a Ranji Trophy pre-quarterfinal match against Himachal Pradesh, Rayudu went on to play 55 ODIs and 6 T20Is for India.
