India batsman Ambati Rayudu has called time on his first-class cricket career with Hyderabad in order to focus on white-ball cricket.
The 33-year-old communicated his decision to retire from first-class cricket to the Hyderabad Cricket Association on Saturday.
The right-handed batsman will continue to represent Hyderabad in limited-overs domestic competitions. Rayudu’s decision to turn his back on red-ball cricket is understood to stem from his desire to prolong his limited-overs international career for India.
The Hyderabad batsman recently made his comeback to the Indian ODI outfit in the Asia Cup held in the UAE. In the continental competition which India won, Rayudu made his first ODI appearance for India in more than two years.
Following a stupendous Indian Premier League (IPL) with Chennai Super Kings at the start of the year, Rayudu was handed a recall to the India squad for the ODI series against England.
Rayudu made his comeback to the India side in the Asia Cup.
However, the batsman was axed from the squad before its departure for England after he failed to clear the Yo-Yo fitness test.
Rayudu’s return eventually came about in the Asia Cup where he scored a total of 175 runs in six matches at an average of 43.75.
He was given an extended run in the recently concluded ODI series between India and the West Indies where he registered his third international ton in the format.
The right-handed batsman has been earmarked by skipper Virat Kohli to consolidate the number four position in India’s batting order in the run-up to the 2019 World Cup in England.
“The only position we were trying to figure out was number four for a long time. We tried many players who unfortunately could not capitalise or cement their places in a way we wanted,” Kohli had stated.
“With Rayudu coming in and playing well in the Asia Cup, it’s about giving him enough game time till the World Cup so that the particular slot will be sorted for us.”
