MSK Prasad-led senior selection panel of the BCCI was severely criticized by former India opener Gautam Gambhir on Wednesday after Ambati Rayudu decided to retire from all forms of cricket.
"According to me, the selectors have been a complete disappointment this World Cup. Rayudu's retirement decision is because of them, and their decision-making skills are to be blamed for this," the former cricketer said on Cricket Live on Star Sports.
"Five selectors combined would not have made the runs Rayudu has in his career. I feel extremely sad about this retirement. Rishabh Pant and Mayank Agarwal got selected amidst the World Cup injuries, and anyone in Rayudu's place would have felt equally bad," Gautam Gambhir added.
"A cricketer like him that has played so well in the IPL and for the nation, scored three hundred and ten fifties, and despite that, if a player has to retire – it is a sad moment for Indian cricket," Gambhir further said.
"Rayudu's decision to retire is a sad moment for Indian cricket," former Kolkata Knight Riders captain said.
It may be mentioned here that ignored for the ongoing ICC World Cup, Ambati Rayudu announced his retirement from all forms of the game without specifying reasons for calling it quits in an e-mail to the Board of Control for Cricket in India on Wednesday.
Even though the 33-year-old was in the official standbys' list for the big event in the UK but ignored despite the injury-forced ouster of all-rounder Vijay Shankar.
Opener Mayank Agrawal was brought in on the team management's insistence and it is learned that Rayudu was left quite disappointed by the turn of events.
Ambati Rayudu played 55 ODIs for India, scoring 1694 runs at an average of 47.05. He, however, could never break into the Test team.
It is worth mentioning here that Ambati Rayudu was declared the preferred No. 4 batsman by captain Virat Kohli on several occasions, however, he was ignored, as Vijay Shankar got the nod in India's final squad for the big event.
