The 2019 World Cup did not include Ambati Rayudu, who was a strong candidate to bat at four for India, because Virat Kohli did not like him, according to former India batsman Robin Uthappa, in yet another surprising revelation.
Prior to this, Uthappa had also disclosed that Yuvraj Singh‘s career was mostly ended by Kohli, who refused to make any concessions for the World Cup champion following his recovery from cancer.
Rayudu stated in an interview with Lallantop that “if he [Virat Kohli] didn’t like anyone, he didn’t feel someone is good, then they were cut.”
“The best illustration is Rayudu. You’re unhappy. I acknowledge that everyone has preferences, but you can’t let a player go after bringing him to the brink. Everything he needed for the World Cup was at home, including his World Cup outfit and suitcase.
The idea of attending the World Cup would be on a player’s mind. You close the door on him, though. I considered that to be unfair.
Rayudu was first believed to have been excluded because of a strained relationship with selector MSK Prasad.
Prior to Rayudu, Vijay Shankar was selected for the 2019 World Cup, where India lost in the semifinals. Rayudu finished his career with 55 ODIs and six T20Is for India, but he never played for them again. Four years later, in May 2023, he announced his retirement from international cricket, having done so in July 2019.
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