India chief selector MSK Prasad, while briefing the media, said there was no bad bone behind Ambati Rayudu”s axing from the Indian World Cup squad. Instead, Prasad took Rayudu”s famous “3D tweet” on a lighter note and found it funny.
Just Ordered a new set of 3d glasses to watch the world cup 😉😋..
— ATR (@RayuduAmbati) April 16, 2019
A dejected Rayudu retired from international cricket after being overlooked twice by the selection committee. Virat Kohli”s men made it to the semi-finals but the side faced injury-related scares; each time Rayudu was left out in the cold while the likes of Rishabh Pant and Mayank Agarwal made it to the team.
MSK Prasad responds to Rayudu”s tweet
Prasad had defended Vijay Shankar”s inclusion ahead of Rayudu by terming the former as a 3-dimensional player. A dejected Rayudu took to Twitter and posted a sarcastic tweet, aiming at the selector”s pick. On the much talked about tweet, Prasad said “Frankly speaking that was a lovely tweet, I really enjoyed it.”
“Seriously, it was a very timely one. I don”t know how it struck him but I really enjoyed it,” the national chief selector added. Rayudu went out of the reckoning even after Kohli publicly backed the cricketer for the No. 4 spot.
https://twitter.com/cricketnext/status/1152887167728832513?s=20&fbclid=IwAR1rcBSFYG5l91EjMrDVpxzg_EMMFD9gKgzemjWqODY-EjIgeDFG5smpsxg
MS Dhoni is not available, We have started grooming youngsters, says MSK Prasad
There was no favoritism: MSK Prasad
The cricketing fraternity consoled Rayudu in every possible manner and even certain renowned ex-cricketers admitted that it was unfortunate that Rayudu was given the stick. “How much emotions anybody (Rayudu) has gone through, the selection committee has gone through the same emotions,” Prasad said.
Due to certain permutations and combinations, we couldn't pick Ambati Rayudu. Frankly speaking, It was a lovely tweet: MSK Prasad #INDvWI pic.twitter.com/wYCNCFciXu
— News18 CricketNext (@cricketnext) July 21, 2019
Prasad cleared the air and said that there was no favoritism and that it was a pure cricketing decision. He said that the decision to snub him was devoid of any bias. “When we pick any player and he does well, we feel so happy for him. Similarly when somebody who goes out in this way, the selection committee also feels for it. But having said that, with regards to the decision taken, it has been completely devoid of any bias or any favoritism into why we have picked Vijay Shankar, Rishabh Pant or Mayank Agarwal also,” the former wicket-keeper said in his panel”s defense.
India”s squad for 2 Tests: Virat Kohli (Captain), Ajinkya Rahane (VC), Mayank Agarwal, KL Rahul, C Pujara, Hanuma Vihari, Rohit Sharma, Rishabh Pant (WK) Wriddhiman Saha (WK), R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah, Umesh Yadav
India”s squad for 3 ODIs: Virat Kohli (Captain), Rohit Sharma (VC), Shikhar Dhawan, KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, Manish Pandey, Rishabh Pant (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kedar Jadhav, Mohammed Shami, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Khaleel Ahmed, Navdeep Saini
India”s squad for 3 T20Is: Virat Kohli (Captain), Rohit Sharma (VC), Shikhar Dhawan, KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, Manish Pandey, Rishabh Pant (WK), Krunal Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Rahul Chahar, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Khaleel Ahmed, Deepak Chahar, Navdeep Saini