Last year, MSK Prasad-led selection committee was questioned for not selecting Ambati Rayudu in the national squad for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019. Prasad has finally shared his feeling on the omission of Rayudu from India’s squad for the 2019 World Cup.
Rayudu made a positive comeback in the ODI squad during the Asia Cup 2018. Before that tournament, he missed out international cricket for more than two years. Since the Asia Cup 2018, he played regular ODIs till the last bilateral ODI series ahead of the CWC 2019. He was regularly batting at the No.4 position which was the big concern in batting position for the Indian team.
Though Rayudu performed well many times since his return, he failed in the home ODI series against Australia, which was the last series before CWC 2019.
Meanwhile, the selectors felt Vijay Shankar would be the better option for the No.4 batting position than Rayudu for the CWC 2019. So, Rayudu was selected only in the stand-by squad for that tournament.
Later, during the ICC CWC 2019, when Shankar was ruled out due to injury, the selectors shocked everyone by choosing the non-stand-by player Mayank Agarwal instead of Rayudu. That time around, Agarwal didn’t make the debut in limited-overs international cricket.
Soon, after that, Rayudu announced his retirement from all forms of cricket. However, just a few months later, he decided to return to domestic cricket.
I feel bad for Ambati Rayudu – MSK Prasad
Prasad feels hurt for Rayudu. Prasad believes that Rayudu should have to set his focus on the Test cricket, but he retired from the first-class cricket in late 2018 to focus on limited-overs formats.
Prasad told Sportstar, “I felt seriously for Rayudu. I can clearly say that. It was very touch and go issue. Our committee always felt that he should be on the radar of Test selection after the 2016 Zimbabwe tour. And, I spoke to him as to why he was not focussing on Test cricket. If you remember, based on the IPL performances, we picked him for ODIs, which may not look appropriate to many.
“Then, we focussed on his fitness for one month at the NCA, helped him there. He has delivered to an extent. Unfortunately, I am also hurt at what happened to him (apparently referring to the 2019 World Cup selection when Rayudu was ignored) having played with him. I feel bad for him.”
In the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2019/20, Rayudu scored 174 runs in seven innings with an average of 29.00. He hit one half-century in that tournament. Earlier, in the 2019/20 Vijay Hazare Trophy, he scored 233 runs in seven innings (average 38.83), including two half-centuries.