That Is True: Ambati Rayudu Echoes Robin Uthappa's Bombshell 'If Virat Kohli Did Not Like Anyone' Remark

Ambati Rayudu opened up on his 2019 WC omission |courtesy - BCCI/IANS

KEY HIGHLIGHTS Ambati Rayudu opened up omission from the 2019 WC squad

Rayudu was expected to be India's number four in the mega event

Vijay Shankar had got the nod over Rayudu

The never-ending controversy over Ambati Rayudu's exclusion from India's 2019 Cricket World Cup squad resurfaced after the star batter opened up on his exile from the Virat Kohli-led team just before the mega event, after being earmarked for the number four role for a long period.

Earlier this year, Robin Uthappa had blamed Kohli for Rayudu's removal from the team while accusing the ex-Indian captain of having a strong liking and dislike, which sparked a storm on social media.

"If he (Virat Kohli) didn’t like anyone, he didn’t feel someone was good, then they were cut. Rayudu is the prime example. You feel bad. Everyone has preferences, but you can’t shut the door on a player after bringing him so close. He had the World Cup clothes, kit bag, and everything at his home. A player would think he is going to the World Cup. But you shut the door on him. That wasn’t fair," said Uthappa on Lallantop.

Ambati Rayudu Echoes Robin Uthappa

While Uthappa's remarks had divided opinions, Rayudu stated that it was true at that point of time. However, the ex-Chennai Super King star claimed that Kohli has backed him a lot in his career. He refused to blame chief selector MSK Prasad despite a bitter history and claimed the decision to leave him out was not down to one person.

"What Robin has said is completely true (about liking and disliking in Indian cricket), but it was for a period of time. In an interview, I said that Virat is the one who backed me. End of the day, people get carried away. I felt at that time, that decision, I don’t think it was just based on cricket type. It was (mutual), it’s the management’s call. You cannot blame the selector, captain, or coach. You can’t point a finger at one person. Not saying it’s not about cricket, but it was entirely not only about cricket," said Rayudu in an interaction on Shubhankar Mishra's YouTube Channel.

Rayudu also confirmed Uthappa's claims that he was sent India's kit for the 2019 World Cup before being left out of the squad. The former Indian batter explained that it hurt him that the team left him out to accommodate an all-rounder (Vijay Shankar) instead of a proper batter.

"Yes, I had the jersey and kit for the 2019 World Cup because they used to get 20-25 players ready with passports, visas, and clothes. They used to send everything. The selection takes place after that because it’s tough to do all that at the last minute. It’s not like I was in the team and then kicked out.

"No, no. At that time, the most frustrating thing was that if you were not taking the No. 4 player, then you won’t be playing an all-rounder at that position. So, why do you need a 3-dimensional player to bat at No. 4? You need a batter who is there to create a bridge between the top order and lower middle," Rayudu added.

Also Read: 17 Years Of Virat Kohli - The 5 Greatest Moments Of Legendary Career

Rayudu last played for India in March 2019, just months before the mega event. He featured in 55 ODIs for the Men in Blue and scored 1694 runs at an average of 47.06 with three centuries. The ex-Indian batter also played six T20Is for the national team.

Later, despite injuries to Shikhar Dhawan and Vijay Shankar, Rayudu was not called into the team, and instead, Rishabh Pant and uncapped Mayank Agarwal were flown to England. The star batter retired from international cricket during the tournament.

Click here to read article