Harare: Elated after a successful ODI debut following years of struggle, Indian batsman Ambati Rayudu thanked Sachin Tendulkar for helping him through the tough days of waiting.
“Sachin (Tendulkar) and Robin Singh especially. They’ve helped me a lot, and I’d definitely like to thank them for that,” Rayudu said.
“I always had the belief that if I could get things right and I could get my mind right I could make it into the team one day, and I’m really happy that I got my chance today,” he added.
The 27-year-old Rayudu scored an 84-ball 63, forging a crucial 159-run partnership with skipper Virat Kohli that guided India to victory in the opening ODI against Zimbabwe on Wednesday.
“It feels marvellous. It’s been pretty emotional,” he said. “More than nervous, I was very emotional,” he added.
Rayudu lauded Kohli, whose swashbuckling hundred blew away the Zimbabweans.
“I think he’s playing the best cricket possible,” Rayudu said.
“I definitely feel that he’s the best in the world right now in the one-day format. He made it a lot easier for me, and I was just looking at the way he was constructing his innings. It’s a very good learning experience,” he added.
Rayudu, who has played 80 first-class matches averaging over 46 for his 5,183 runs, also thanked his family for standing by him during the struggling days.
“My family, my friends and especially the Mumbai Indians support staff (have been there for me),” Rayudu said.
Meanwhile, former India cricketer Ajay Jadeja feels that Ambati Rayudu’s international debut will be an inspiration for all those “eternal hopefuls” who want to don the national colours.
“If I can remember, Rayudu started playing first-class cricket when I was playing for India. It took him 10 long years to finally make his senior international debut. This shows that in every aspect of life, one should never lose hope,” Jadeja said on the sidelines of an event in New Delhi on Thursday.
“I don’t think many people would have thought that Rayudu will manage to play for India although his talent was unquestionable. He played in ICL which was an unsanctioned league and then changed states.
“Once you have gone through all these, there is a tendency of selectors not to pick you. What went in Rayudu’s favour was his experience at first-class level and a solid game that he possesses,” Jadeja, who played 196 ODIs and 15 Tests for India, said. (PTI)