Virat Kohli, Virender Sehwag Lead Wishes For Ambati Rayudu's Life Post Retirement

Middle-order batsman Ambati Rayudu announced his retirement from cricket on Tuesday, shortly after he was ignored for the second time from consideration for the World Cup 2019 squad. In his retirement mail, Rayudu thanked India skipper Virat Kohli for showing belief in him. Months before the World Cup, Virat Kohli had showed faith in Ambati Rayudu to solve India's No.4 conundrum in the World Cup 2019. But after facing the World Cup 2019 snub twice, Rayudu, called time on his career after representing the nation in 55 One-day Internationals (ODIs) and six T20 Internationals. Kohli took to Twitter to lead the wishes for Rayudu's life post retirement. Kohli also called Rayudu "a top man".

Former India cricketers VVS Laxman and Virender Sehwag showed sympathy towards Rayudu.

Wish you the best going forward Ambati. You're a top man @RayuduAmbati

— Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) July 3, 2019

Must definitely be very painful at being ignored for the WorldCup for #AmbatiRayudu but I wish him all the very best in life after retirement.

— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) July 3, 2019

Can understand the pain and anguish Ambati Rayudu may be feeling after the World Cup snub even after performing well.
I wish him lots of happiness and peace in his second innings.

— VVS Laxman (@VVSLaxman281) July 3, 2019

Really feel for #AmbatiRayudu. Always gave it everything he had but sometimes was left holding the wrong cards. So hope he continues in domestic white ball cricket so that we can see his wholehearted style of play in the #IPL. This is an emotional moment but there is a tomorrow

— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) July 3, 2019

Have to feel for #AmbatiRayudu , did everything he could to make a comeback, did well in the opportunities he got but the World Cup snub must have hurt him really deeply. Wish him the best in retirement.

— Mohammad Kaif (@MohammadKaif) July 3, 2019

Rayudu played 55 ODIs for India, scoring 1694 runs at an average of 47.05. The player, who could never break into the Test team, was in the spotlight before the World Cup.

In the Indian Premier League (IPL), Rayudu has scored 3,300 runs in 147 matches at an average of 28.7. He has scored 18 half-centuries and a hundred in his IPL career, with a highest score of 100. Rayudu represented Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indian in the IPL.

In T20 International cricket, Rayudu has scored 42 runs in six matches at a dismal average of 10.5.

At the time of announcing India's 15-member World Cup squad, chairman of selectors MSK Prasad had justified the move by saying that Shankar had "three-dimensional skills".

Rayudu then took a dig at that statement with a cheeky social media post.

Rayudu earned the reputation of being a temperamental player owing to several confrontations with fellow cricketers and even match officials in the domestic circuit.

(With PTI inputs)