India’s Rayudu in retirement U-turn

Former India batsman Ambati Rayudu reversed his decision to retire from all cricket yesterday, less than two months after he quit following his omission for the World Cup. The 33-year-old, who was the Chennai Super Kings’ most prolific batsman in their 2018 Indian Premier League triumph, was left out of India’s World Cup squad in favour of the younger all-rounder Vijay Shankar.

Rayudu announced his retirement in July after he was overlooked as a replacement when Shankar was injured during the tournament. “He has written to us that after speaking with senior cricketers like V.V.S. Laxman and others, he has withdrawn his retirement from all forms of cricket,” Ratnakar Shetty, a member of the Board of Control for Cricket in India, said.

“We have forwarded his letter to selectors. It is up to them now but he has made himself available for selection,” Shetty added.