It took 15 years for a Hyderabadi to be in the Indian team for a cricket World Cup. And, at 29, Ambati Rayudu, the most gifted batsman from Hyderabad after V.V.S. Laxman, and now playing for Baroda in Ranji Trophy, is all set to be the only one from the city to play in the 2015 World Cup ‘’Down Under’ next month.
The last time a Hyderabadi played in a World Cup was former India captain Mohd. Azharuddin in the 1999 edition in England.
Rayudu’s has been a remarkable journey which had more downs than ups when he was representing Hyderabad -- mostly for non-cricketing reasons.
But, destiny seemed to have started smiling on him ever since he shifted base to Baroda and then played for the high-profile Mumbai Indians in the IPL. “Honestly, this is one big dream I was just hoping to be realised. This is great news,” exclaimed Rayudu’s father Sambasiva Rao, a former staffer of the Archives Department.
Actually, Rayudu’s career had a flying start as he hit a century in England while playing for India in the under-19 team in 2002 and then came the Ranji debut with a double century against Andhra at Gymkhana.
“By God’s grace, the selectors reposed faith in him and we hope he would bring laurels to the country,” exclaimed the proud father who used to sit in a corner of the cricket ground almost unobtrusively whenever Rayudu was wielding the willow in the middle.
Vijaya Paul, one of his early coaches, asks: “Can anyone dispute his talent and his selection? He deserves every bit of support from all and I pray to God he will come up with big match-winning innings”.
Rayudu had to wait for 11 long years before he got a chance to play for India in an ODI against Zimbabwe but he seized the chance with a half-century becoming the third oldest Indian at 27 years and 304 days of age to score a ODI fifty on debut.
Incidentally, six players who played under him when he captained the under-19 team went on to play for India even before he did and he got the rebel tag playing the ICL in 2007.
Just when it seemed it was curtains to his career, BCCI’s generosity in lifting the ban on the ICL cricketers came as a blessing. Now, Hyderabad can boast of someone not just being there in the Indian team but also immensely gifted to change the course of the innings on his day.
