Ambati Rayudu tied Rohit Sharma for the most IPL titles won by a single player in history with six championships. The veteran batter took to his Twitter handle to announce his retirement after a trophy-laden club and international career.
“2 great teams MI and CSK, 204 matches, 14 seasons, 11 playoffs, 8 finals, 5 trophies. Hopefully 6th tonight. It’s been quite a journey. I have decided that tonight’s final is going to be my last game in the IPL. I truly have enjoyed playing this great tournament. Thank you all. No U-turn,” confirming his final decision to leave competitive crickets across formats for good.
His tweet, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) record-equalling fifth IPL title (and Rayudu’s sixth in total) heralded an exciting night of T20 championship cricket this season.
Rayudu Believes This is the Perfect Time to Retire
The first half of Rayudu’s statement showed his resolve to retire after IPL 2023 no matter the outcome of CSK’s final game. He commented that:
“It has been an emotional night that culminated in a special IPL win. On that high note, I would like to announce my retirement from all forms of Indian cricket. When I took up the cricket bat as a kid playing with the tennis ball at home, I didn’t imagine the wonderful journey that would follow for more than two decades,”
Ambati Rayudu played for India at several levels throughout his career. He did not fail to express his gratitude to the national team for giving him the opportunity to represent India:
“I consider it my greatest honour to have represented my country from the Under-19 to the highest level. I still remember the day I received my India cap for the first time in 2013 – it is a memory I will cherish forever,”
Rayudu Shows Appreciation to Several Cricket Figures upon His Retirement
Rayudu went on to appreciate many cricket bodies he has come in contact with throughout his long and illustrious career. His experiences with top associations from local cricket to national level showed in his retirement statement on May 29, 2023:
“I would like to thank the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), the Andhra Cricket Association (ACA), The Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA), Vidarbha Cricket Association (VCA) and the Baroda Cricket Association (BCA) for showing faith in my ability and providing me with the opportunity to express myself on the field.“
Ambati played for the Mumbai Indians for ten straight seasons (2008 – 2017) before trading to CSK in 2018. He had this to say about his teams:
“Being a part of Mumbai Indians’ first-ever IPL win in 2013 as well as winning the IPL title with Chennai Super Kings in 2018, 2021 and of course, 2023 are memories that will stay with me forever…
It has also been a great privilege to play with captain MS Dhoni with both CSK and Team India. We have had some great memories over the last two decades both on and off the field, which I will always cherish,”
Ambati is one of few IPL players to win multiple titles with two different teams since the league began in 2008.
Ambati Shows Gratitude to Teammates, Support Staff, and Coaches
Rayudu rounded off his retirement statement by showing appreciation to support staff and teammates on all the teams he has ever featured for in his career. He also showed his appreciation to fans and everyone else who has encouraged him throughout his active playing days:
“Thanks to all my teammates, support staff, fans and all the coaches from my early days – this memorable journey of mine would not have been fulfilling without all of you. Thank you for being by my side through the ups and downs. Your encouragement meant a lot to me,” he ended his statement with a cheeky “See you on the other side”
Rayudu’s IPL Record
Ambati Rayudu scored 4,329 runs for two IPL teams throughout his career. He featured in 203 matches for the Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings. Rayudu recorded the impressive runs record with a decent average (28.29) and strike rate (127.29).
He also bagged one century in his career and twenty-two half-centuries in over a decade of IPL cricket. The 37-year-old bows out of IPL cricket as one of its best-ever and most-decorated players in history. His achievements in IPL are at par with feats recorded by big names like Rohit Sharma, MS Dhoni, and other top cricketers in the T20 league.
