IPL legend Ambati Rayudu is one of the few players who has been in both the dressing rooms of Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings, the two most successful IPL franchises.
Ambati Rayudu retired from IPL and Indian domestic cricket after winning the IPL 2023 trophy with CSK.
Rayudu played for Mumbai Indians from 2010 to 2017, winning three IPL titles, and then was picked by CSK in the IPL 2018 auction. He spent 5 seasons at CSK, winning 3 trophies again.
Ambati Rayudu was perhaps the most versatile batsman in the IPL history, someone who batted in many positions and played different roles as required by his team, from opening to middle-order to finisher.
Speaking on The Ranveer Show in a YouTube podcast Rayudu spoke of his experience with Mumbai Indians: “I would remember myself as being very flexible in a team environment. I would bat open as well as in the middle order and lower middle order. That is one area where I take a lot of pride in, contributing to the team, and I cherish that aspect a lot in my career.
“Of course, I played eight years for them. I started my IPL career with Mumbai. It was a great journey, and we won three IPLs and two Champions League trophies. We had great times,” he added.
Going to CSK was even more special: Ambati Rayudu
Moving from MI to CSK, Rayudu said, was “even more special” for him. He said initially he felt weird about playing for another franchise against Mumbai Indians, but soon got used to it.
“Going to CSK was even more special, but it was very weird to sit in another dressing room, put on yellow pads instead of blue, and face Mumbai, who was practicing just two wickets away from me. It was like a whole flashback going on in my head, recalling what we used to do every day. From then on, yeah, I got used to being in CSK,” Rayudu added.
Ambati Rayudu featured in 203 IPL matches, scoring 4348 runs with one century and 22 fifties to his name.
