In the aftermath of the IPL 2024 final in Chennai, there was a light-hearted exchange between England batting legend Kevin Pietersen and former Indian cricketer Ambati Rayudu. Kolkata Knight Riders clinched their third IPL title with an emphatic eight-wicket victory over Sunrisers Hyderabad.
During their post-match conversation, Kevin Pietersen jokingly referred to Rayudu as a ‘joker’ for changing his attire following KKR’s dominant win at the MA Chidambaram Stadium.
Ambati Rayudu had initially sported an Orange waistcoat but later switched to a navy blue one. Playfully, Pietersen teased Rayudu for not remaining loyal to the team he had been supporting earlier, jesting, “I am supporting both the teams. I am supporting good cricket,” Rayudu responded.
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However, some social media users misconstrued Pietersen’s playful banter and used it to criticize Ambati Rayudu, who had previously criticized Royal Challengers Bangalore for prioritizing individual milestones over the team’s interests. Kevin Pietersen, disheartened by the trolling, urged for restraint on social media, emphasizing that harmless banter shouldn’t escalate into abusive behaviour.
Come on guys!
This tribalism with/against Indian players on social media needs to slow down!
Example – @RayuduAmbati and I were messing around after the IPL final and all of sudden that banter has turned into an avalanche of abuse towards Ambati.
PLEASE stop it? 🙏🏽
— Kevin Pietersen🦏 (@KP24) May 28, 2024
“Come on guys! This tribalism with/against Indian players on social media needs to slow down!” Kevin Pietersen expressed on X. “Example – @RayuduAmbati and I were messing around after the IPL final and all of sudden that banter has turned into an avalanche of abuse towards Ambati. PLEASE stop it?” he appealed.
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Rayudu, known for his prowess as a middle-order batter, had retired from the IPL after Chennai Super Kings clinched their record-equalling fifth title last season. Across his IPL career with Mumbai Indians and CSK, the 38-year-old amassed 4348 runs in 203 matches, boasting an average of 28.05 and a strike-rate of 127.54.
