India's middle-order batsman Ambati Rayudu has announced his retirement from all forms of cricket, including the IPL, according to BCCI sources.
The announcement has come after Rayudu - who was a stand-by for Team India at the ICC World Cup - was snubbed by the team management and not sent as a replacement for injured Vijay Shankar.
Instead, Karnataka batsman opener Mayank Agarwal has been chosen as a replacement after the BCCI requested for a "suitable top-order batsman". Earlier Rishabh Pant was chosen over Rayudu after Shikhar Dhawan injured his thumb.
Rayudu - who was always India's No. 4 spot batsman - was initially dropped from the World Cup squad and Shankar was taken instead. The team management called Shankar a 'three-dimensional' player.
"We did give a few more chances to Rayudu but Vijay Shankar gives three dimensions. He can bat if the conditions are overcast, he can bowl, plus he is a fielder. We are looking at Vijay Shankar as a No. 4," chief selector MSK Prasad said, justifying his selection.
Prasad's view was seconded by former captain Sunil Gavaskar, who called Shankar a "very handy cricketer".
Taking a dig at the selectors on choosing Shankar and calling him a 'three dimensions' player, Rayudu posted a tweet saying, “Just Ordered a new set of 3d glasses to watch the world cup”.
Rayudu had last year announced his retirement from first-class cricket to focus on one-dayers and T20s. Rayudu called time on his 17-year-long first-class career in which he scored 6151 runs from 97 games.
"This is to inform that Ambati Rayudu, Hyderabad captain and member of the India ODI team, has decided to retire from the longer version of the game including Ranji Trophy (multi-day) to focus on limited overs cricket and T20 cricket," Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) had stated.
In ODIs, Rayudu has played 55 matches and has scored 1694 runs with three centuries and 10 half-centuries at an average of 47.05. In the six T20Is he played, the middle-order batsman scored 42 runs. Rayudu never got a chance to represent India in Test cricket.
