For Chennai Super Kings (CSK) batter Ambati Rayudu it was a fairytale ending to his illustrious IPL career as he had announced his retirement from the game after the IPL 2023 final and he got the perfect farewell as the side defeated Gujarat Titans in the final in Ahmedabad.
This meant that Rayudu, who joined the CSK side in IPL 2018, retired from the tournament as six-time IPL winner, three times each with Mumbai Indians and now Chennai Super Kings.
Though he didn’t have a very good outing with the bat in the tournament, his short impactful knocks helped the side. He played quick innings against GT both in Qualifier 1 and in the final, helping CSK better the defending champions on both occasions.
As the CSK side celebrated their title win, Rayudu was seen with tears in his eyes and he was given a warm hug by his teammates and even the opposition players as well.
“It’s a fairytale finish and I couldn’t have asked for more. It’s unbelievable, really fortunate to have played in some great sides. This win is something I will remember for the rest of my life, for all the hard work in the last 30 years, happy that it finished on this note. I would like to take this moment to thank my family and thank my father, without him I wouldn’t have been here today,” said Rayudu after playing his final knock for CSK.
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And then, in an amazing gesture, when the IPL trophy was to be handed to the winning captain MS Dhoni of CSK, he instead asked the presenters to hand over the trophy to Ambati Rayudu, who then lifted the trophy alongside Ravindra Jadeja. The IPL shared the video of the moment on its official Twitter handle.
Captain Dhoni also heaped praise on Rayudu, stating that the batter always looks to give his hundred per cent on the field.
He said: ‘The special thing about Rayudu is he will always give his 100% when he is on his field. But with him in the team, I will never win the Fairplay Award. He always wants to contribute and he has been a fantastic cricketer. I’ve been playing with him for a long time, since the India A tours. He’s a player who can play spin and pace equally well. It is something really special. I felt he would do something really special, I’m really happy for him. This game will be one he will remember.”
