Ambati Rayudu Credits Kohli’s Bat For IPL Success

Mumbai: Indian Premier League champions Chennai Super Kings' opening batsman Ambati Rayudu, who was highly successful in the recently concluded IPL 2018 campaign, credited Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) captain Virat Kohli for his batting performances. Rayudu, who represented Mumbai Indians from the inaugural IPL season, was sold for Rs 2.20 crores in the IPL Players' auction earlier in the year by the Dhoni-led team.

CSK's bet on Rayudu was fruitful in IPL 2018, as he went on to score a whopping 602 runs in 16 innings, making him the fourth highest run-scorer of the season.

However, Rayudu gave credit to Virat Kohli, who lent his bat to him before the season. In a recent interview with fellow CSK player Harbhajan Singh, Rayudu said, "Every season, I borrow a bat from Virat Kohli. Ever since I started borrowing, I have scored tons of runs with his bats."

The CSK opener stood third in the list of batsmen who scored most sixes in this season, with a total of 34 maximums. "After Virat realized the reason for my success, he denied lending his bats. But I took them anyway," he joked.

Also Read: IPL 2018: Rayudu Maiden IPL Ton Helps CSK Beat SRH

Also, Rayudu shared his thoughts on his spat with Harbhajan Singh back in the 2016 season. Interestingly, the two played for the same team from the beginning of the tournament, with Mumbai Indians till last season and now with CSK. During a match against Pune Warriors, the two players had a verbal altercation over misfielding.

Harbhajan, who was bowling at the time, was dissatisfied with Rayudu, who was fielding at Long On. The two had a verbal altercation on the field. "I don't know why I behaved like that. Everything happened in the heat of the moment. I apologized to Bhajji several times after that," Rayudu said.

"I have fought with a lot of my seniors. But Rayudu is the only one who fought back strongly against me," Harbhajan said in the interview.