Chinmay Kore
Banned
- Joined
- 15 Mar 2015
- Messages
- 612
- Reaction score
- 143
Ambati Rayudu is Indian cricket's nearly man. He had to wait long on the sidelines for his opportunity to unfurl his talent for his national side. But when he did finally get his chance, the 29-year-old grasped it with both hands and is doing everything to ensure he won't let go. Although he did not make it to the final XI in any of the games, Rayudu made it to the Indian World Cup side and can now safely say that he is a common name in the ODI squad - even if he doesn't always get a chance to start.
Now, nearly two years since he made his ODI debut against the same opponents at the same ground, Rayudu underlined his growing stature with a fine hundred under pressure to help India scrape through to a four-run win against Zimbabwe in Harare. Speaking about his knock and India's performance, Rayudu said he rated his innings of 124 quite high on his list as it came when the team was in trouble.
"Definitely. I would rate this as one of my better innings, especially scoring it after the team being five down. The ball was doing a lot at the start. It felt like we were batting in England rather than in Zimbabwe. It feels satisfying because we could win the game on the back of it," Rayudu told bcci.tv.
"I have been batting in situations like that for the last four-five years in Indian Premier League (IPL). Also, I have been part of the Indian team for a couple of years now and have spent a lot of time sitting in the change room watching Dhoni bhai bat in similar situations. I keep observing what he does and how he controls the game. There is a lot you can learn just by sitting out and I am happy that whatever I am learning, I am able to implement in the middle."
Rayudu also added that he copes with being on the bench on many occasions by visualising himself playing the game. The right-hander said it helps him stay mentally prepared when the opportunity comes up. "That is the situation and that is the reality (that I have to warm the bench at times). So you have to accept it and adapt to it. I keep things very simple. The main thing is that I don't set any milestones for myself, so a lot of pressure goes away there. I am very happy to get whatever games I get and every game I play for India, I play it as if it is going to be my last. I enjoy watching my top-class team-mates perform and wait for my opportunity.
"When a game is on and I am sitting out, I visualize myself playing out there and what I would do. Virat (Kohli) suggested this to me and it has really helped me in that when I actually get a game, I am prepared, I am mentally there because in my mind I have played the previous matches. So, even when you're sitting out for a long time, it is important to be mentally aware of what is going on on the field and be involved. You never know when the next opportunity pops up. And this is not only in my case. There are so many guys like Stuey (Stuart Binny), Axar (Patel) and others who have spent a lot of time sitting out, and we all keep ourselves mentally ready for our next game rather than being discouraged. These are good habits that are being cultivated in the Indian dressing room and if all the youngsters that are coming in adopt the same mindset it will really take the team to greater heights," he said.
WWW.Crickbuzz.com
Now, nearly two years since he made his ODI debut against the same opponents at the same ground, Rayudu underlined his growing stature with a fine hundred under pressure to help India scrape through to a four-run win against Zimbabwe in Harare. Speaking about his knock and India's performance, Rayudu said he rated his innings of 124 quite high on his list as it came when the team was in trouble.
"Definitely. I would rate this as one of my better innings, especially scoring it after the team being five down. The ball was doing a lot at the start. It felt like we were batting in England rather than in Zimbabwe. It feels satisfying because we could win the game on the back of it," Rayudu told bcci.tv.
"I have been batting in situations like that for the last four-five years in Indian Premier League (IPL). Also, I have been part of the Indian team for a couple of years now and have spent a lot of time sitting in the change room watching Dhoni bhai bat in similar situations. I keep observing what he does and how he controls the game. There is a lot you can learn just by sitting out and I am happy that whatever I am learning, I am able to implement in the middle."
Rayudu also added that he copes with being on the bench on many occasions by visualising himself playing the game. The right-hander said it helps him stay mentally prepared when the opportunity comes up. "That is the situation and that is the reality (that I have to warm the bench at times). So you have to accept it and adapt to it. I keep things very simple. The main thing is that I don't set any milestones for myself, so a lot of pressure goes away there. I am very happy to get whatever games I get and every game I play for India, I play it as if it is going to be my last. I enjoy watching my top-class team-mates perform and wait for my opportunity.
"When a game is on and I am sitting out, I visualize myself playing out there and what I would do. Virat (Kohli) suggested this to me and it has really helped me in that when I actually get a game, I am prepared, I am mentally there because in my mind I have played the previous matches. So, even when you're sitting out for a long time, it is important to be mentally aware of what is going on on the field and be involved. You never know when the next opportunity pops up. And this is not only in my case. There are so many guys like Stuey (Stuart Binny), Axar (Patel) and others who have spent a lot of time sitting out, and we all keep ourselves mentally ready for our next game rather than being discouraged. These are good habits that are being cultivated in the Indian dressing room and if all the youngsters that are coming in adopt the same mindset it will really take the team to greater heights," he said.
WWW.Crickbuzz.com
