'His retirement is kind of somber and heartfelt for me': Robin Uthappa on Ambati Rayudu calling it quits

Former Indian cricketer Robin Uthappa believes Ambati Rayudu is one of the most underrated gems of the sport and labelled him a 'complete team man'. Uthappa also felt Rayudu thoroughly deserved to play Test cricket, given the veteran is an astute student of the game and felt saddened by his retirement.

Ambati Rayudu promised no 'U-turn':

Hours before the IPL 2023 final against the Gujarat Titans on Sunday, Rayudu announced his retirement from the tournament and that the decider will be his last match. The right-handed batter has starred in 203 IPL games and scored 4329 runs alongside a hundred and has played only for the Super Kings and Mumbai Indians.

Uthappa revealed that he admired Rayudu right from the junior days, suggesting that he is an astute reader of the game and deserved to have a longer career.

"He has been there, done that, and seen it all. He is one of the most underrated cricketers, India has ever produced. He should have played Test Cricket, I can't believe he did not play the game. He is an astute student of the game, someone who knows the game inside out. Absolute team man will do anything for the team. Every team would have loved to have him. I have loved him from the age of my junior days. His retirement is kind of somber and heartfelt for me," Uthappa told Jio Cinema.

Robin Uthappa acknowledges Ambati Rayudu's grunt work in IPL:

Uthappa also observed that Rayudu has done whatever has been asked of him and kept his head down to do the hard work even as people trolled him.

"He did the grunt work for CSK. He opened in 2018, scored 600 runs and CSK won the title. They sent him in the middle to do grunt work after that. And he has done it without any complaint. People have trolled him for his performances and all that, but he has taken it on his chin. And the support staff have rallied around him. He deserves all the accolades."

Rayudu also played 55 ODIs and six T20Is for India, but hasn't worn the national colours since March 2019.