This was also a special occasion for Ambati Rayudu as he announced his retirement on Sunday (May 28) . However the match was postponed to Monday (May 29) due to severe rainfall in Ahmedabad. In a tweet posted on Sunday evening, Rayadu emphasized that there wouldn’t be any ‘U-turn’ for him after making the decision.
The 37-year-old made it special for himself and the fans as the CSK batter chipped in with a useful contribution in a massive run chase. The elegant batter smoked Mohit Sharma for 16 runs in the 13th over of the match and shifted the momentum back in CSK’s favour which once looked like getting away. In the IPL 2023 final, Rayudu scored 19 runs off eight balls while hitting two sixes and a boundary. Rayudu could not have asked for a better end to his career in the IPL. The right-handed batsman bowed out of the IPL as one of the tournament’s most decorated players.
Following the end of the game, the Guntur-born cricketer was seen emotional. The veteran batsman was seen wiping his tears as his teammates and Coach Stephen Fleming embraced him and waved him goodbye. Meanwhile, MS Dhoni had saved the best for his retiring teammate. The CSK captain called up Rayudu on the stage and asked him to lift the trophy alongside Ravindra Jadeja.
Here are the videos:
Ambati Rayudu Crying ?? pic.twitter.com/5NvClKNPhE
— CS Rishabh (Professor) (@ProfesorSahab) May 30, 2023
Speaking to Harsha Bhogle after the final game, Rayudu stated it was a magical ending, and he could not have wished for anything more.
“Yes, I mean it is a fairytale finish. I can smile for the rest of my life, I couldn’t have asked for more. I mean, it is unbelievable. Was fortunate to have this.” said Rayudu.
The former Indian player continued by saying he could smile for the rest of his life and expressed his gratitude towards his family for supporting him during his IPL adventure.
It;s noteworthy that Rayudu began his IPL career with Mumbai in 2010 and remained an integral part of the team till the 2017 season. With Mumbai, he won three IPL titles before joining Chennai in 2018. In his first season with the Chennai franchise, he scored more than 600 runs to help them win the title.
The 2023 final win against Gujarat was Rayudu’s sixth IPL title as a player. He and his former Mumbai teammate Rohit Sharma hold the record for winning the most number of IPL titles as a player so far – six.
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