Anil Kumble’s big statement on Ambati Rayudu, said- It was a big mistake not to play him in the 2019 World Cup

Former India captain and coach Anil Kumble said that the Indian team management led by skipper Virat Kohli and coach Ravi Shastri made a huge mistake by not playing Ambati Rayudu in the 2019 ICC ODI World Cup in England. Kumble’s statement came after Ambati Rayudu ended his IPL career on a high by winning his sixth title. Considered one of the towering batsmen of Indian cricket, Rayudu failed to live up to expectations in terms of his career with his country.

 

Rayudu recently announced his retirement from all forms of Indian cricket. The right-handed batsman represented the Men in Blue in 55 ODIs and 6 T20Is but never played a World Cup game. However, his exclusion from the 2019 World Cup Indian side is seen as an injustice done to Rayudu as India were in dire need of a good batsman at No.4 and had spent the last year trying out several batsmen at the spot. Between September 2018 and March 2019, Rayudu was his answer to the No. 4 puzzle as he played 21 ODIs in that six-month period, scoring 639 runs including a century and four fifties.

IPL 2018 was a great one for Ambati Rayudu. He scored 602 runs with a century and helped CSK win the title, returning to the league after serving a two-year suspension. But when the Indian squad for the 2019 World Cup was announced, his name was missing and the then chief selector MSK Prasad said that he went for all-rounder Vijay Shankar as he was a three-dimensional player.

 

Kumble said that Rayudu should have played the 2019 World Cup. Yes, no doubt about it. This was a big mistake. You groomed him for this role for so long and his name just disappeared from the team. It was amazing.