The All India Selection Committee on Saturday named southpaw Suresh Raina as the replacement of Ambati Rayudu for the three-match ODI series against England.
Rayudu was part of the initial squad which was slated to tour England. However, he failed too clear the yo-yo test. It was held at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru which took place on 15th June 2018.
Rayudu was recalled to the national squad after a dream run in the Indian Premier League. He was the highest run-scorer for the eventual champions of the tournament, Chennai Super Kings. He looked in sensational touch and creamed the bowlers for audacious shots all through the IPL.
It looked that Rayudu has regained his lost touch which helped him make his ODI debut for India a few years ago.
Rayudu had the experience of playing in England before. In the limited opportunities he has got for India so far, Rayudu has scored over 1,000 runs. He has scored at an impressive average of 50 up. However, fitness has always been an area of concern for Rayudu. He hasn’t been one of the fittest going around. But his batting prowess was quite extraordinary during the IPL.
As per the new rules of the BCCI, a player can only get selected in the national team if he clears the yo-yo test.
It has become mandatory for selection in the recent past. Ever since Virat and Ravi Shastri have joined, fitness got the utmost importance. They have made it pretty clear there is no place for unfit players even if you are brilliant in your respective roles.
It will be a comeback series for Raina, and he will look to make amends. He scored a sensational century against England when Inda toured England last time. However, Raina hasn’t played ODI cricket since October 2015. Hence it will be a big opportunity for him to make a permanent spot in the middle order. With the World Cup just a year away, this particular series will be very important for Raina.
India’s squad for ODIs against England:
Virat Kohli (Captain), Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, Suresh Raina, MS Dhoni (wicket-keeper), Dinesh Karthik, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Washington Sundar, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik Pandya, Siddarth Kaul, Umesh Yadav.
Also Read: WWE News: Potential Backstage Planning on MITB Ladder Match