The cricketing fraternity received a shock when the selectors left out Ambati Rayudu from the ICC World Cup 2019 squad. The MSK Prasad-led panel received a lot of flak for their decision which cost them the trophy. Finally, after a lot of drama, former selector Gagan Khoda reveals why they dropped Rayudu from the World Cup squad.
The Men in Blues had struggled a lot with the No.4 spot since Yuvraj Singh was shown the doors in 2017. Since then, the selectors tried all permutation and combinations to seal the berth. During that period, they gave Ambati Rayudu a long rope and the veteran fared literally well.
Gagan Khoda reveals why they dropped Rayudu from World Cup
He also performed well during IPL 2018 under the leadership of MS Dhoni in Chennai Super Kings. This made evident that Rayudu will go to England as the No.4 batsman. But the selectors shocked picking ‘three dimensional’ Vijay Shankar.
One year down the line, former selector Gagan Khoda has revealed why they dropped Ambati Rayudu from the World Cup squad. Khoda stated that Rayudu was short of confidence and his problem in pace conditions cost his spot.
“Ambati Rayudu was experienced and you were looking at the World Cup. We carried on with him for a year but we felt he was getting stagnant. The confidence level going into the World Cup wasn’t there. We couldn’t get any youngster in because the tournament was in England also,” Khoda told Sportskeeda.
Although Gagan Khoda made strong claims in backing their decision, it hardly made any sense as Virat Kohli also made it clear that Ambati Rayudu is their No.4 batsman. Moreover, Khoda also revealed what went wrong for India in the tournament.
India lost to New Zealand in a rain-marred semifinal while chasing a target. The Kiwi bowlers arrested Indian batters as they lost quick wickets at the top and never looked on spot from there on.
“I never thought we were weak anywhere. It was just one bad day that we had. One day the match didn’t happen, the next day it happens and the momentum finishes. You have to start all over again, and it happens,” he concluded.
