Ambati Rayudu - Making up for lost time

Ambati Rayudu finally made his International debut against Zimbabwe

The 2010 IPL provided him with the perfect opportunity to showcase his skills on a grand scale. Playing in the middle-order and also donning the big gloves occasionally behind the stumps, his consistent performances won him praise from many quarters. He went one better in the next season, finishing behind the legendary Sachin Tendulkar as the team’s leading run-scorer.

Harbhajan Singh, who played alongside the youngster, was so impressed that he went on record to state that Rayudu was a special talent who deserves a spot in the Indian team.

Former India player Robin Singh is the one person whom Rayudu credits for helping turn his career around, after a roller-coaster ride in 2009. He worked on improving his fitness, sprinted hard between the wickets and put in the long yards during fielding practice.

The results showed in the 2011 edition of the IPL – he landed the winning hit against the Kolkata Knight Riders off the final ball to cap a come-from-behind win for his side, playing Javed Miandad to Lakshmipathy Balaji’s Chetan Sharma in that game.

He moved to Baroda in the 2010-11 season, working under new coach Sanath Kumar, and translated his IPL form into substantial scores in domestic cricket, a double century being one of the high points in that season. In between, he also deputized behind the stumps, further honing his skills. Things were going well for him game-wise.

But the feeling of making his international debut lingered. This time around, though, he responded to it in a different way – he kept on piling runs in the Irani Trophy and further seasons in Ranji & IPL cricket, respectively. In the MI squad, Rayudu’s role reminded one of Rahul Dravid in the early 2000s – he became a ‘floater’, batting in the top eight, while also keeping wickets at times, and coming up with scintillating knocks and brilliant displays in the field; his catch to remove Chris Gayle in the sixth edition of the IPL galvanized his side to a memorable win against the Royal Challengers.

At last, at long last, the miraculous moment arrived in the young man’s career in July this year. Skipper MS Dhoni was ruled out of the Zimbabwe tri-series with a hamstring injury, and the selectors quickly responded by drafting the Andhra lad into the national squad, resting most of the team that had won the Champions Trophy.

Finally, life had come full circle for Rayudu. He made his debut at Harare, and scored an unbeaten half-century, guiding the latter part of India’s successful run chase. He also became part of a team that swept an international series, savouring the triumph despite it coming against a rather weak side.

For a player who once blasted a magnificent century for the Indian colts against England way back in 2002, the future now holds only brighter, bigger and better things. As long as he is able to maintain consistency, Ambati Thirupathi Rayudu may well go on to a long, successful international career.