“He should have played..”: Anil Kumble on ‘huge blunder’ made by India at 2019 World Cup

Former India coach Anil Kumble believes that dropping Ambati Rayudu from the 2019 ODI World Cup squad was a huge blunder.

Chennai Super Kings ended the 16th edition of IPL as a winner, beating Gujarat Titans in the rain-hit final game at the Narendra Modi Stadium. MS Dhoni and his men won their fifth IPL title and equaled the Mumbai Indians with the most IPL wins. Meanwhile, it was a perfect farewell for veteran Indian batter Ambati Rayudu, who has retired from all forms of cricket. The 37-year-old announced ahead of the IPL 2023 final that he would retire after the game and it was a perfect end to a spectacular cricket career.

He was a great asset for the franchise he played for in the IPL. Not just in the IPL, he was a reliable batter for India at the international career. Rayudu was part of 203 IPL games and scored 4348 runs at an average and strike rate of 28.05 and 127.54, with one century and 22 half-centuries. He won three IPL titles with MI (2013, 2015, and 2017) and joined CSK in 2018 and won three IPL titles in 2018, 2021, and 2023 to equal Rohit Sharma’s six IPL wins as a player.

“His name just disappears from the squad”- Anil Kumble on Ambati Rayudu’s omission from 2019 WC

Rayudu was a key member of the Indian team between 2016 and 2019. He made the No. 4 position his own with his consistent performance. In fact, he was one of the top scorers for India in the 2018 Asia Cup. The 37-year-old made 175 runs in six innings at an average of 43.75 and was only behind Shikhar Dhawan (342) and Rohit Sharma (317).

But despite all his good performances, the selectors didn’t pick him for the 2019 ODI World Cup in England. It came as a surprise to many former cricketers and cricket pundits. Former Indian head coach Anil Kumble also reckons that it was a complete blunder by the selection committee. In a discussion on Jio Cinema after the IPL final, Anil Kumble said, “Rayudu should have played the 2019 World Cup. Oh yes, there’s no doubt about it. It was a huge blunder. You prepared him for that role for so long and his name just disappears from the squad. It was surprising nonetheless.”.

It resulted in Rayudu announcing his international retirement. However, he took a real quick u-turn and came back from his retirement decision. He played 55 ODIs in his career and scored 1694 runs at a decent average of 47.06 with three centuries and 10 half-centuries.

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