The 15-member India squad for the upcoming ICC World Cup 2019 has announced on Monday by the BCCI. While everyone was hoping for the selection of Rishabh Pant but the selectors showed their faith on Dinesh Karthik. On the other hand, the first choice for the number 4 spot in the line-up, Ambati Rayudu were excluded from the squad; while KL Rahul and Vijay Shankar have been selected in the squad.
Ambati Rayudu was the first choice for the spot and he had earlier performed well during the West Indies series. He scored a century as well and did pretty well in the Asia Cup in 2018; which India won. He even performed well in New Zealand series but was dropped from the team in the Australia series at home.
Read here: Ambati Rayudu Takes A Slight Dig At BCCI For Excluding Him
Vijay Shankar was selected over Ambati Rayudu as he is an all-rounder. He is a clean hitter with the ability of economical bowling. Moreover, he is an outstanding fielder. He was selected on the back of these qualities.
“We have been planning soon after the completion of the Champions Trophy (2017) for this. But let me tell you that in the last month or so, there have been a couple of players who have really cropped up like Vijay Shankar,” MSK Prasad mentioned this in the press conference.
However, Rayudu’s good performance was earlier supported by Virat Kohli, but his constant poor performance in Australia and New Zealand cost his selection in the World Cup squad.
Also read: Patrick Farhart monitors players’ workload for the upcoming World Cup
After the team selection, the International Cricket Council (ICC) has supported him and shared a tweet of Highest Batting Averages in ODI for India. According to the stat, India captain Virat Kohli topped the list with 59.57, second place belongs to the former captain MS Dhoni; who has an average of 50.37. Rohit Shama is in the third position with 47.39; while Ambati Rayudu is in fourth place with an average of 47.05. Batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar is in the fifth with 44.83.
Highest batting averages for India in ODI cricket (min. 20 innings):
1. @imVkohli – 59.57
2. @msdhoni – 50.37
3. @ImRo45 – 47.39
4. @RayuduAmbati – 47.05
5. @sachin_rt – 44.83Rayudu was excluded from India's @cricketworldcup squad. Do you think he should have made the cut? pic.twitter.com/8Eu0ztKTH1
— ICC (@ICC) April 15, 2019
