Former Indian cricketer Ambati Rayudu made harsh remarks directed at Mumbai Indians (MI) wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan during a recent IPL 2024 match, focusing on Kishan’s absence from domestic red ball tournaments.
Ishan Kishan has been facing difficulties recently. He didn’t secure an annual contract from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and chose not to participate in India’s Test series against South Africa, the T20I series against Afghanistan, and the red ball series against England.
Despite a caution from the BCCI, the southpaw didn’t participate in the recent trophy for his state team, Jharkhand. Instead, he teamed up with the Pandya brothers, Hardik and Krunal, to gear up for the upcoming 17th season of the Indian Premier League.
The 24-year-old batsman, who last played for India in a five-match T20I series against Australia in November 2023, marked his return during the opening match of IPL 2024 with the Mumbai Indians. However, his comeback to professional cricket got off to a challenging start.
Ambati Rayudu ruthlessly taunts Ishan Kishan on live television
While Gujarat Titans were batting, Ishan Kishan missed a catch behind the stumps, leading Ambati Rayudu to suggest that participating in the Ranji Trophy could have enhanced his abilities.
“Shayad Ranji Trophy khele hote toh pakad lete yeh ball,” Rayudu said on Star Sports.
Ishan misses a ball.
Rayudu saying "Shayad Ranji Trophy khele hote toh pakad lete yeh ball".🤣#HardikPandya #DhruvRathee #RCBvPBKS #MahakaleshwarTemple #होली pic.twitter.com/lYfNr80XtO
— Ashu prajapati (@Ashu28181998) March 25, 2024
On Sunday, March 24th, at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, Ishan Kishan was dismissed for a duck off just four balls by Titans all-rounder Azmatullah Omarzai, making his IPL debut. The left-handed batsman left the crease without adding any runs to the team’s total.
Mumbai Indians faced a six-run loss in their recent IPL 2024 fixture
In the initial phase, after winning the toss, Hardik Pandya elected to field first. The visiting team limited the opposition to 168 runs in 20 overs. Sai Sudharsan (45), Shubman Gill (31), and Rahul Tewatia (22) contributed significantly to their team’s performance in the opening match.
Jasprit Bumrah emerged as the standout bowler for Mumbai, securing three wickets for 14 runs in his four overs. Debutant Gerald Coetzee showcased promise with two wickets for 27 runs. Piyush Chawla dismissed Shubman Gill.
In reply, Hardik Pandya’s team could only manage 162 runs for the loss of nine wickets in their allotted 20 overs. Despite a promising position at one point, Mumbai Indians fell short of the target. This result marked their failure to secure a victory in their tournament opener for the first time since 2012.
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