IPL 2021: Gautam Gambhir Praises Ambati Rayudu For His Knock Against Delhi Capitals

Gautam Gambhir said that Ambati Rayudu has been the Chennai Super Kings’ (CSK) standout player ever since he has joined the team. Notably, Rayudu scored an unbeaten 55 off 43 balls against Delhi Capitals (DC).

However, his knock went in vain as Delhi chased down the 137-run target with ease. During a discussion on Star Sports, Gautam Gambhir has praised Ambati Rayudu.

He said: “I believe Ambati Rayudu has been the player of the franchise since he joined CSK. He scored runs when he opened or played at No.3 or No.4, he has delivered in whichever position he has played. It is very difficult when your batting order is being shuffled but despite that the way he bats.”

Ambati Rayudu Is An Impact Player: Gautam Gambhir

The former India opener has said that Ambati Rayudu has always been CSK’s unsung hero.

Gautam Gambhir explained: “He had an impact when he used to open with Watson, today he is playing at No.4 and he has a similar impact. We might talk about Ravindra Jadeja, Suresh Raina and the others, but he has probably been the player of the franchise in the last three-four years.”

Ambati Rayudu has amassed 1495 runs which came at an average of 35.59 and a strike of 130.11 in the 58 matches he has played for CSK as well. Meanwhile, Ajit Agarkar also shared that Ambati Rayudu’s form is crucial for CSK.

He reasoned: “His form is extremely necessary because there is a lot of dependency on Faf du Plessis and Gaikwad at the moment. When they don’t score runs, they don’t post a big total. So this innings will certainly help.”

Agarkar continued: “He also struggled in the beginning but the acceleration he gave helped them get a good finish. Jadeja is definitely scoring runs but he comes down the order. The players who come at No.3, 4 and 5, their role becomes huge when your openers get out, so the middle order being in form at the business end of the tournament is necessary.”