Ambati Rayudu

Ambati Thirupathi Rayudu (born 23 September 1985) is an Indian former cricketer.

Rayudu was born on 23 September 1985 in a Kapu family in Guntur, Andhra Pradesh, India.

His father Sambasiva Rao worked at the archives department.

Rayudu has said in an interview that his father was his inspiration to take up cricket and put him into a coaching camp when he was in third grade.

Rayudu's father took him to the cricket academy of former Hyderabad cricketer Vijay Paul in 1992.

Paul recalls, "Rayudu’s father used to ferry him around on his scooter to the cricket camps and various matches."

According to Abdul Azeem, “Rao used to stand about 50 meters away and watch Rayudu practice day-in and day-out."

Rayudu began his career playing for Hyderabad youth teams in the late-90s, playing at the Under-16 and Under-19 levels.

He appeared for India Under-15s at the ACC Under-15 Trophy in 2000, finishing as the leading run-scorer of the tournament and winning man of the match in the final against Pakistan.

Prolific run-scoring at age group levels saw him getting elevated to the senior team squad of Hyderabad.

Rayudu began his first-class career with Hyderabad in 2002 at the age of 16 and, by the following year, was playing for India A.

He made his first-class debut for Hyderabad in January 2002, at the age of 16, during the 2001–02 Ranji Trophy.

Batting at 4, he scored 33 in that match, his only first-class appearance of the season.

Later that year, he was made captain of India Under-17s and also made appearances for India Under-19s.

On India Under-19 tour of England, his maiden Under-19 assignment, Rayudu batted as an opener and made a total of 291 runs from 3 innings and finished as the highest run-getter of the series which India swept 3–0.

His best efforts of the series came in the third ODI in which he scored a 169-ball 177 to single-handedly take his team to the target of 304 from a precarious position of 137 for 6.

Rayudu appeared in all matches for Hyderabad in the 2002–03 Ranji Trophy and amassed a total of 698 runs at an average of 69.80 to finish third on the leading run-scorers list.

During the tournament, playing only his third Ranji game, Rayudu scored 210 and 159 not out against Andhra in the same match and "pressed his claims for an India cap".

He became the youngest player in the history of Ranji Trophy to score a double century and a century in the same match.

In 2003, Rayudu played extensively for India A on its West Indies and England tours.

He averaged 87 on the England tour following which experts opined that he is "sure to play for India in the near future".

ESPNcricinfo wrote about the 17-year-old: "Touted as the next big hope for Indian middle-order batting, Rayudu has had the critics gushing about his scintillating strokeplay and his composure under pressure."

However he had a disappointing stint with India Seniors at the Challenger Trophy in September 2003, where his perceived weakness against the short ball was exploited.

He then failed to make an impression in the Emerging Players Tournament after which he played four matches in the following Ranji season with an average of over 54.

He captained the India Under-19 team at the 2004 ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup and was expected to break into the senior team.

Disputes with players and state association, followed by signing up with the "rebel" Indian Cricket League, led to him being ignored for national team selection.

He returned to domestic cricket in 2009 by accepting BCCI's amnesty offer and terminating his ICL contract.

After strong performances for Baroda in domestic cricket and Mumbai Indians in the IPL, he was named in the Indian squad for the first time in 2012.

He played 61 limited overs matches for the India national cricket team between 2013 and 2019 and is a right-handed middle-order batsman, who occasionally keeps wicket and bowls right-arm off breaks.

He played for Hyderabad in domestic cricket, Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League (IPL), and Texas Super Kings in Major League Cricket.

He eventually made his international debut in July 2013, in an ODI against Zimbabwe.

After being dropped from Indian squad for the 2019 ICC World Cup, Rayudu got an offer from Iceland cricket board to join Iceland team which he declined.

On 2 July 2019, he announced his retirement from all forms of international cricket.

On 28 May 2023, he announced his retirement from the IPL.

On 29 May 2023, Rayudu announced his retirement from all forms of Indian cricket.

Shortly after, in June 2023, Rayudu was added to the roster for the Texas Super Kings in the inaugural season of Major League Cricket.

It is his first appearance in a franchise league outside of India.

In 2023, he announced his foray into politics in Andhra Pradesh.

On 28 December 2023, he joined YSR Congress Party, but left on 6 January 2024, in a record 9 days.

On 10 January 2024, he joined the Jana Sena Party, stating that the party's idealogies match his more than YSRCP's.