Former Indian cricketer Robin Uthappa has accused former captain Virat Kohli of shutting the doors for Ambati Rayudu ahead of the 2019 ODI World Cup. Rayudu was a contender for selection, but when the team was announced, his name was missing. After that, Rayudu retired from international cricket.
Questions Raised About Kohli
In an interview, Uthappa said that if Kohli disliked a player or felt that someone wasn’t right, they were excluded from the team. Rayudu is an example of this. “You would feel bad for him. Every player works hard to reach this level. Everyone has their own preferences, and I accept that, but you can’t close the door on a player right in front of their face. In my opinion, that was wrong.”
“World Cup Jersey and Kit Bag Sent to His Home”
Uthappa also revealed that Rayudu’s World Cup jersey and kit bag were sent to his home, yet he was not selected. Uthappa said, “They sent him the World Cup jersey and kit bag to his home. Any player would interpret that as being selected for the World Cup. For me, that’s quite significant because I have played at a very important position. I too wanted to win the World Cup for my country. When you send everything to his home and then shut the door on him, it’s wrong and unfair. You can’t do that to someone.”
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Impact on Mindset
Uthappa added, “You have to understand that such things affect the mindset. It matters, not just as a player, but as a human being. You’ve broken someone’s confidence. What could have been the thought process behind this decision?”