‘Tight games always bring the team closer’

“I have fortunately played at every number all through my career, so my mindset has naturally evolved to adapt and be flexible mentally,” said the 32-year-old middle-order batsman of Chennai Super Kings. Rayudu opened the batting in the first two games of the season that CSK won and scored a 35-ball 49 at No 3 against Kings XI Punjab in Mohali on Sunday in a high-scoring third encounter that the visitor lost by four runs after skipper MS Dhoni almost took it over the finish line with a vintage 44-ball 79 not out. 

Rayudu is a fluent stroke-maker owing to his clean striking of the ball and cool approach. He tallied over 330 runs each in five out of eight seasons that he turned out for Mumbai Indians since his IPL debut in 2010. A useful stopgap wicket-keeper and a fine fielder, Rayudu, who was a part of all three IPL-winning MI sides, also scored over 250 runs in two other seasons, underlining his overall consistency with the bat.

“Yes, every number has different situations and challenges and it does require different mindsets,” continued Rayudu. A busy sort of a player, Rayudu made a 19-ball 22 with four fours in the tournament opener against MI in Mumbai and was the third wicket to fall with the team total at 42, chasing 166 for victory. A Dwayne Bravo special sealed it for the ‘Yellows’. 

Rayudu hit a 26-ball 39 with three fours and two sixes as he and Shane Watson provided a flyer of a start while chasing 203 for victory against Kolkata Knight Riders in Chennai. A Sam Billings fifty helped close it out for CSK. “Tight games always bring the team closer and make it stronger as a unit. So it will naturally help us get stronger as the tournament progresses,” concluded Rayudu.