Robin Uthappa, the former Indian cricketer, expressed admiration for Ambati Rayudu, who recently announced retirement from the Indian Premier League (IPL) on May 28. Uthappa stated that Rayudu, a player for the Chennai Super Kings, is highly underrated and should have had the opportunity to represent India in Test cricket at the international level.
Just before the IPL 2023 final between Chennai Super Kings and Gujarat Titans, Ambati Rayudu took to social media to announce his retirement from the IPL. The final was rescheduled to the Reserve Day due to heavy rain in Ahmedabad on Sunday.
It is worth mentioning that Rayudu had previously announced his retirement during IPL 2022 but later decided to come out of retirement. However, this time, the experienced batter stated that there would be no change of mind or U-turn.
Robin Uthappa, who was a teammate of Ambati Rayudu in the Chennai Super Kings, praised Rayudu for being a true team player, stating that any team would be fortunate to have him.
Rayudu, who is 37 years old, represented India in 55 One-Day Internationals (ODIs) and scored three centuries. He also played six Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is). In the Indian Premier League (IPL), Rayudu participated in 203 matches, amassing a total of 4,329 runs, including one century.
Throughout his IPL career, Rayudu played for two franchises: the Mumbai Indians, who have won the tournament five times, and the Chennai Super Kings, who have won it four times.
On a show with Jio Cinema, Robin Uthappa expressed his admiration for Ambati Rayudu, describing him as a highly underrated cricketer and one of the best India has produced.
Uthappa believed that Rayudu should have had the opportunity to play Test Cricket and found it hard to believe that he did not get the chance. He praised Rayudu for his deep understanding of the game and referred to him as an astute student of cricket.
“He has been there, done that, and seen it all. He is one of the most underrated cricketers, India has ever produced. He should have played Test Cricket, I can’t believe he did not play the game,” said the former Chennai Super Kings player.
Uthappa also highlighted Rayudu’s selfless nature, stating that he would go to great lengths for the team. According to Uthappa, every team would have been delighted to have a player like Rayudu, and he himself has admired Rayudu since his early days in junior cricket.
