Ambati Rayudu backtracks after announcing "IPL retirement"
Mumbai, May 14: The unrest in Chennai Super Kings camp once again came to the forefront after senior batter Ambati Rayudu announced his "IPL retirement" on social media, only to backtrack within an hour after being talked out of it by the team management.
CSK are already out of play-off race with couple of matches left but already former skipper Ravindra Jadeja has gone home with a "bruised rib" but not before adding fuel to the speculations that he has had a fall-out with management after being told relinquish captaincy.
On Saturday morning, the 36-year-old former India white-ball player took to twitter to announce his decision.
"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 tweeted.
But within an hour, the post was deleted as CSK owners and team management were completely caught unawares about Rayudu's decision which also raised questions about the communication channel in one of the most successful teams in IPL history.
"I can confirm that Ambati Rayudu is not retiring from IPL. Yes, he did tweet about it. May be it was in an emotional state he tweeted. He has been spoken to and subsequently deleted the tweet," CSK CEO Kasi Viswanathan told PTI.
It is not the first time Rayudu made U-turn from retirement decision. He made news following his "3 dimensional" tweet aimed at India selector MSK Prasad in the backdrop of his exclusion from World Cup 2019 squad.
Subsequently, Rayudu retired from international cricket in July the same year only to overturn his decision.
During his over-decade IPL career, Rayudu, an IPL legend, represented two franchises. He was first picked up by Mumbai Indians in 2010 after being granted amensty by BCCI to return to the main fold following his stint in the de-recognised Indian Cricket League in 2007 and stayed there till 2017.
Rayudu is one of the most successful players in the IPL as he has been part of the title-winning sides on five occasions (2013, 2015, 2017 with Mumbai Indians and 2018, 2021 with Chennai Super Kings).
In his entire IPL career, Rayudu, 36, accounted for 4,187 runs at an average of 29.28, scoring one century and 22 fifties.
The Hyderabad middle-order batter also is the 10th Indian to reach the milestone of 4,000 runs in IPL.
In the ongoing IPL season, Rayudu has scored 271 runs at a strike-rate of 124 but has often been seen struggling for fitness on the ground.
In the last IPL in the UAE, Rayudu scored 257 runs from 13 innings with a tournament-best of 72 not out. He was retained by CSK but later the four-time champions successfully picked his up for Rs 6.75 crore.
Rayudu played 55 ODIs and six T20Is for India, accumulating 1694 and 42 runs respectively. His best score in the ODIs is 124 not out against Zimbabwe at the Harare Sports Club in 2015.
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Mahila Cong chief says sex scandal has shaken conscience of Kannadigas, Indians alike
Bengaluru (PTI): All India Mahila Congress President Alka Lamba on Monday accused the BJP and JD(S) of being silent over the alleged sex scandal involving Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna and said the horrifying case of violence against women has shocked the nation.
"More than 3000 videos with hundreds of women being sexually harassed, violated and even brutalised by MP Prajwal Revanna over the past few years have shaken the conscience of Kannadigas and Indians alike," she told at a press conference here.
Prajwal (33) is grandson of JD(S) supremo and former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda. JD(S) joined the NDA in September last year. He was the NDA candidate in Hassan Lok Sabha constituency, which went for polls on April 26.
According to police sources, he left the country after voting was over.
The Congress government in Karnataka on Sunday constituted a Special Investigation Team to probe the alleged sex scandal.
Some explicit video clips allegedly involving Prajwal had started making the rounds in Hassan in recent days.
Lamba said the horrifying case of sexual violence against hundreds of women has shocked the nation.
"These acts of sexual brutality against hapless women has revealed the depravity of MP Prajwal Revanna, but the silence and sheer apathy of the BJP and JDS in this horrendous case is absolutely shameful,", she said.
She alleged that in these videos, some recorded against the consent of the victim, women are seen pleading to be spared but the MP continues to brutalise and sexually violate them. Party 'karyakartas', panchayat members, elderly women, women who came asking for help to him and even maids have not been spared.
"The horrible fact is, that the acts of this sexual predator MP Prajwal Revanna was endorsed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi as he campaigned in Old Mysuru Region on April 14th, 2024," she alleged.
"....the BJP JDS are still silent which shows you their true Anti Woman DNA!! Will the BJP or JDS answer?".
