Rayudu coming in at no. 4 slot is the best for the team: Faf du Plessis

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) are the one team in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) who are on a roll courtesy the consistent performance from their gun players. Though nobody would’ve thought that Ambati Rayudu would be donning the orange cap halfway through the tournament who has been in excellent form. He has batted at every position in the top 4 so far and has shown no signs of frustration at all. However, Faf du Plessis, his teammate, has backed him to bat at no. 4 position where he is well suited in his career.

Rayudu has batted at 4 twice this year so far only when Du Plessis has found a place in the playing XI who replaced him in the top order. He has also batted at the first drop when Suresh Raina had to sit out due to an injury but has done exceedingly well while opening the innings. Currently, he has scored 370 runs and is sitting pretty in the list of the highest run-getters of the tournament.

His flexibility has impressed me

Being the national captain, the words of Faf du Plessis should really encourage Ambati Rayudu to continue in the same vein. He has been impressed with his batting a lot but felt that he is well suited at no.4 to bat for the team.

“Rayudu’s flexibility has impressed me. You can put him at any position from No.1 to No. 11. He will score runs. But the ability to come in at 4 and score boundaries from the outset is something which makes him unique. It is a very difficult skill and not everyone can do that. So if you ask me, I would say Rayudu coming at No. 4 slot is the best for the team,” he said in the press conference on Monday.

The prospect of the dangerous top 4 can threaten any opposition on any given day as he believed it is the responsibility of the openers to give them the kickstart upfront. “If Watson and I can give the team a solid start, Suresh (Raina) at three and Rayudu at four can just come in and play their natural game. It can become dangerous for the opposition,” Du Plessis added while also saying that he will make sure that Rayudu will be able to use his skills at his preferred batting position.

“I am not sure if the opening slot will keep changing or not. We haven’t had those discussions with the coach. But purely with the way Rayudu is batting in the middle, I would make sure that he is at No.4 for his skills,” the South African captain concluded.

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