'He has delivered in whichever position he has played' - Gambhir terms Ambati Rayudu as 'player of the franchise' for CSK

Former India opener Gautam Gambhir feels that Ambati Rayudu has been the ‘player of the franchise’ for Chennai Super Kings ever since has joined the team. Gambhir’s comments came after Rayudu scored a 43-ball 55 on a difficult batting track against Delhi Capitals in Dubai to take his team to 136/5.

Although CSK ended up losing the game as DC chased the target in the final over with three wickets in hand, it was once again Rayudu who stood tall and delivered for the team when most others failed to contribute.

Lauding the right-hander, Gambhir said on Star Sports “I believe Ambati Rayudu has been the player of the franchise since he joined CSK. He scored runs when he opened or played at No.3 or No.4, he has delivered in whichever position he has played. It is very difficult when your batting order is being shuffled but despite that the way he bats.”

Made an impact as an opener; making similar impact at No. 4 today: Gambhir

Gambhir further threw light on Rayudu’s ability to adapt to the situation and always being a team man, ready to deliver for the team in whichever role he is given. “He had an impact when he used to open with Watson, today he is playing at No.4 and he has a similar impact,” said Gambhir.

The former southpaw added that often the likes of Ravindra Jadeja, Dwayne Bravo and Suresh Raina overshadow the role that Rayudu plays for CSK, and he remains an unsung hero. “We might talk about Ravindra Jadeja, Suresh Raina and the others, but he has probably been the player of the franchise in the last three-four years.”

Highlighting how crucial Rayudu’s form would be for CSK, who have qualified for the playoffs this season and are in contention of finishing in the top two, Ajit Agarkar, Gambhir’s co-panellist, said: “His form is extremely necessary because there is a lot of dependency on Faf du Plessis and Gaikwad at the moment. When they don’t score runs, they don’t post a big total. So, this innings will certainly help.”