His exclusion from the squad back then had raised quite a controversy.
Former India cricketer Ambati Rayudu’s exclusion during the 2019 ODI World Cup under Virat Kohli’s captaincy had sparked a lot of controversy back then.
Earlier this year, Robin Uthappad had also alleged Virat Kohli for Rayudu’s ouster from the squad for the ICC event.
However, Ambati Rayudu has now broken his silence and spoken up in defence of the former India skipper.
Speaking on a Youtube channel Raw Talks with VK, Rayudu said,
“Virat Kohli was one who actually backed me a lot – he liked me, when he was in the captaincy – I played a lot of games for India – he brought me into the team also – he understands the struggle, he also comes from a humble background”.
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For the unversed, Ambati Rayudu experienced a series of disappointments during the 2019 World Cup when he was repeatedly overlooked for selection, even after injuries sidelined key players such as Shikhar Dhawan and Vijay Shankar. Frustrated by the situation, Rayudu expressed his feelings on social media, highlighting the tensions he faced during that period.
He later revealed that his relationship with MSK Prasad, the chief selector at the time, was strained. Prasad, however, explained that the selection committee had made decisions collectively, with input from the team captain as well.
Following his exclusion from the World Cup squad, Rayudu announced his retirement from international cricket in July 2019. He continued playing in domestic leagues but eventually decided to step away from all forms of Indian cricket. His final retirement came in May 2023, after the conclusion of the IPL 2023 final.
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