Chennai Super Kings Opener Ruturaj Gaikwad dedicated the team’s 5th IPL title to the Indian veteran batter Ambati Rayudu, who hung up his boots in cricket after the final against defending champions Gujarat Titans at Narendra Modi Stadium.
Ambati Rayudu has played 55 ODIs and 6 T20Is and has hit three hundreds for India. In the Indian Premier League matches. Rayudu has played 203 matches and has scored 4329 runs, including a hundred in the IPL, having played only for two franchises Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings winning six championships with them.
Speaking to the media, after winning the championship, Ruturaj Gaikwad feels that the final win against Gujarat Titans was so special, as the team made a comeback after a disastrous IPL 2022 season and recalled the memories of playing in their home ground and hailed their star performers Rahane, Conway and credited the title win to Ambati Rayudu.
“This one was more special because of how last year went for us. To come back in style, to win games at Chepauk, and to win away games. The way everyone contributed through the season. Jinks, Conway. Rayudu wasn’t getting balls. Would like to dedicate the win to Rayudu. Even today we were talking about having a good start. With wickets in hand, we thought we’ll easily chase down 12-13 an over in the end,” Ruturaj Gaikwad said after the match.
Ambati Rayudu played an impactful cameo in his final game in cricket, as he took on their death bowler Mohit Sharma to completely tilt the game in the favour of the MS Dhoni-led side in the final.
Ambati Rayudu Deserves All The Accolades – Robin Uthappa
Robin Uthappa believes that Ambati Rayudu has done thankless for the Chennai Super Kings in the opportunity provided to him, as he has been sent down the order following the stellar 2018 season and feels that he deserves all the appreciation for his contribution to the Indian cricket.
“He did the grunt work for CSK. He opened in 2018, scored 600 runs and CSK won the title. They sent him in the middle to do grunt work after that. And he has done it without any complaint. People have trolled him for his performances and all that, but he has taken it on his chin. And the support staff have rallied around him. He deserves all the accolades,” Robin Uthappa on Ambati Rayudu.
The 37-year-old has made telling contributions in crunch situations and was one of the star performers in the franchise’s title-winning run in 2018 and also played some vital roles for Mumbai Indians in three championship-winning campaigns.