BCCI added yet another name to its ever-lengthening list of injuries by announcing that Vijay Shankar would no longer be able to compete in the ICC World Cup 2019 owing to a toe injury. The all-rounder had sustained a non-displaced fracture on his left big toe. It will take at least three weeks for him to recover.
Sooner as they announced the injury, BCCI also declared his replacement with opener Mayank Agarwal getting the nod to join the Indian squad in England. However, another being is trending on Twitter in the midst of the urgent call-up. Well it is none other than veteran batsman Ambati Rayudu. Rayudu, in association with Rishabh Pant and Ishant Sharma, was among the players put on BCCI’s standby list for the World Cup squad. This was despite the fact that he had one of the best ODI average (47.05) after the likes of Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni and Rohit Sharma (for batsmen who have played in at least 20 ODIs).
As a result, angered by the snub, the player had put up a sarcastic tweet stating he had ordered a pair of 3D glasses to watch the World Cup.
Just Ordered a new set of 3d glasses to watch the world cup ??..
— Ambati Rayudu (@RayuduAmbati) April 16, 2019
This was a clear jibe over one of the selector’s comments that they needed a player with “3 Dimensional” qualities (Vijay Shankar) for the World Cup.
And as things stand now, while the likes of Rishabh Pant and Mayank Agarwal (who, by the way, was not even in the stand by list!) have already booked a ticket to England, Ambati Rayudu still hasn’t been recalled even in one of the team’s worst injury crisis. And he may never will.
Twitter Reaction
And naturally, the development was indeed noticed by the fans. While some questioned BCCI’s work of style others on Twitter, others chose to make fun of the Chennai Super Kings’ batsmen and his “3D glasses” comments. Here are some of the most hilarious reactions:
-- Advertisement --Rayudu ko bulao!!
Nahi to uski haai ek ek kar k sabko injured kar degi??#TeamIndia #VijayShankar #AmbatiRayudu https://t.co/AS3AHdvev3
— Aparna ?? (@Jayaa_IND) July 1, 2019
#ambatirayudu can sell his 3D glasses now ??. #CWC19
— kapil vyas (@98kapilvyas) July 1, 2019
So basically @RayuduAmbati was disappointed on not being selected! And that single tweet which was just a humor game has jrunied his probable last chance! Ths is the price you pay in our country for expressing ur sense of humour! Slow claps @BCCI #Ambatirayudu #MayankAgarwal
— Dr.Shweta Hajare (@HajareShwetaa) July 1, 2019
Opener injured Middle order batsman in
Middle order batsman injured opener in. So the team is now balanced. No more debates.#vijayshanker #Ambatirayudu @BCCI @im_manishpandey— Ganesh (@GaneshDixt) July 1, 2019
After selection of #MayankAgarwal Agrawal in #CWC19 #Ambatirayudu :- pic.twitter.com/zETZzNrKr9
— Gireesh Chaudhary ?? (@gireesh_chdhr) July 1, 2019
Karma is bitch @RayuduAmbati#AmbatiRayudu pic.twitter.com/UPG8aK47PV
— PavanKalyan Bala ♥️ (@PavanklyanA) July 1, 2019
Wtf is wrong with @BCCI why @RayuduAmbati isn't the replacement here? Basically selectors said if there's any injury #Rayudu will be our 1st option?! Now that you don't have your "3D" person plz get that old 2D ! We don't need any fancy selection! #Ambatirayudu
— Dr.Shweta Hajare (@HajareShwetaa) July 1, 2019
Well @RayuduAmbati is busy Watching world cup in his brand new 3d glasses, is the reason why @BCCI called @mayankcricket as @vijayshankar260 replacement. Good move #BCCI. Karma is a biaatch #Ambatirayudu
— Veeru Kallapur (@VeeRk07) July 1, 2019
Rayudu right now: #AmbatiRayudu #MayankAgarwal #VijayShankar pic.twitter.com/9Kah2OHxcw
— Rajen Ruparelia (@RajenRuparelia) July 1, 2019
Looks like #KarunNair, #AjinkyaRahane and even #AbhinavMukund have a chance to play in this #WorldCup2019 if another player gets injured, but not #AmbatiRayudu. Who is selecting the replacements, the same folks who selected the saffron jersey? #TeamIndia
— Vineet Recriwal (@VRecriwal) July 1, 2019
Vijay Shankar , k L rahul and Kedar Jhadav is playing like management quota buddies and Rayudu is like the student who missed the merit quota #indiavsEngland #Rayudu #ambatirayudu
— naveen unni (@truelyursnaveen) June 30, 2019
You have to wait for the time.
Karma pays back.#CWC19 #Ambatirayudu #CricbuzzLIVE https://t.co/t2DOMGR0Yo— CA Srinivas Pyata (@srinivaspyata9) July 1, 2019
There were four realistic replacements for #VijayShankar – #MayankAgarwal, #ShreyasIyer, #AmbatiRayudu, and #ManishPandey. Here is how they have fared (the numbers are average and strike rate):
ODIs: Iyer 42-96 Rayudu 47-79 Manish 37-92 (Mayank is uncapped)#CWC19 #TeamIndia
1/n— Abhishek Mukherjee (@ovshake42) July 1, 2019
If only #ambatirayudu had not tweeted about the 3D glasses he had bought to watch the #CWC19 , today he would have been on the flight to join #Kohli & co for the reminder of the #WorldCup19 #ShankarRuledOut
— Mikkhail Vaswani (@MikkhailVaswani) July 1, 2019
Vijay Shankar ruled out of the Indian team due to injury.
Ambati Rayudu while doing Kala Jadu on Shankar??? #CWC19 #MayankAgarwal #Ambatirayudu #VijayShankar
………… pic.twitter.com/eWOM1Pd839— Saurabh Solanke Deshmukh (@sys_deshmukh) July 1, 2019
Here we go…
Ambati Rayudu has hacked Yuzvendra Chahal's account. #INDvENG pic.twitter.com/6Z5XJD2CLN— DIVYANSHU (@MSDivyanshu) June 30, 2019
Rayudu to BCCI after Mayank Agarwal selection: pic.twitter.com/d0ZNrSZ8QU
— Kishan Jhunjhunwala (@Jhunjhunastic) July 1, 2019
Mayank Agarwal likely to replace Vijay Shankar.
Meanwhile Ambati Rayudu: pic.twitter.com/v3qZxG16Ec— Bengoli Dada (@bleachsunny) July 1, 2019