On Wednesday Indian middle-order batsman Ambati Rayudu announced his retirement from all forms of the game. The announcement came a few days after he was snubbed by the selectors for the 2019 World Cup squad for a second time, with opener Mayank Agarwal being favoured ahead of him to replace an injured Vijay Shankar.
Rayudu scored 1694 runs in 55 ODIs with three centuries and 10 half-centuries at an average of 47.05 for India. In the six T20Is he played, the middle-order batsman scored 42 runs. The 33-year-old never got a chance to represent India in Test cricket.
The Hyderabad-born retirement was a shock of sorts, considering he played an ODI for the country just a few months ago. Following the announcement, several former players and renowned celebrities took to social media to express their thoughts on the same, with few slamming the BCCI (Board of Cricket Control in India) for constantly overlooking the talent of Rayudu.
What surprises me most is that the entire @BCCI current selection panel had an unfulfilled career themselves!!!Even then they could not give a fair run to talent like @RayuduAmbati. What a shame!!! While it’s important to win titles, guess it’s more important to have a heart.
— Gautam Gambhir (@GautamGambhir) July 3, 2019
Really feel for #AmbatiRayudu. Always gave it everything he had but sometimes was left holding the wrong cards. So hope he continues in domestic white ball cricket so that we can see his wholehearted style of play in the #IPL. This is an emotional moment but there is a tomorrow
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) July 3, 2019
So Ambati Rayudu has retired from cricket. Poor guy, deserved to play this World Cup #Ambatirayudu
— Manak Gupta (@manakgupta) July 3, 2019
🤮🤮🤢🤢🤢
— 🅻🅰🅻🆄 (@manthenalalu) July 3, 2019
Shame on Indian Cricket team management, coach and particularly selection panel MSK Prasad . It cost #AmbatiRayudu his career and now he has retired 🤦♂️ . The pain of frustration on verge of being in unknown situation is unbearable. Rayudu has every right to be in team pic.twitter.com/nPJT9kRpnW
The retirement decision though was also slammed by a few people, who believe Rayudu made the decision rashly, thinking more emotionally than rationally.
Two ways of reacting to an exclusion from the World Cup squad :) #Ambatirayudu pic.twitter.com/LLbmYZwBAJ
— Gabbbar (@GabbbarSingh) July 3, 2019
Raydu snubbed Bcci with retirement call#Ambatirayudu pic.twitter.com/bGDWBSeObW
— Akshay Sharma (@akshaygoutam7) July 3, 2019
One tweet can lead to a retirement. For a few RTs, for appearing smart against a vindictive cricket board. What a sad end. #AmbatiRayudu
— Gabbbar (@GabbbarSingh) July 3, 2019
Feature image courtesy: AFP Photo/ Noah Seelam
