Rayudu announces retirement from IPL

Ahmedabad: Veteran batter Ambati Rayudu announced that he will retire from playing in the Indian Premier League (IPL) after featuring for the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the final of the 2023 season against Gujarat Titans at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Sunday evening.

“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 in this great tournament. Thank u all. No, u-turn,” wrote Rayudu on his Twitter account ahead of the IPL 2023 final.

Rayudu made his IPL debut in 2010 with the Mumbai Indians and played for the side till the 2017 edition, winning three titles with them in 2013, 2015 and 2017. He was then roped in by CSK ahead of the 2018 season.

In that edition, Rayudu had his best season with the bat, amassing 602 runs in 16 innings at an average of 43, including his highest individual score of 100 not out, as the side won the trophy after serving a two-year suspension due to involvement of a key official in spot-fixing and betting.

Overall, Rayudu has scored 4329 runs in 203 matches, averaging 28.29 and a strike-rate of 127.29, including a century and 22 fifties, out of which 1,913 runs so far have come while playing for Chennai.

Ahead of Sunday’s final against Gujarat, Rayudu featured in 15 matches for Chennai in IPL 2023, aggregating 139 runs, averaging 15.44 at a strike rate of 132.38. He also played 55 ODIs and six T20Is for India from 2013-19.

In 2022, Rayudu had prematurely announced his retirement from the IPL, before it was deleted in an hour after the CSK team management intervened.

“I am happy to announce that this will be my last IPL. I have had a wonderful time playing it and being a part of 2 great teams for 13 years. Would love to sincerely thank Mumbai Indians and CSK for the wonderful journey,” Rayudu had said in the deleted tweet.