Veteran Ambati Rayudu’s CPL stint with St Kitts and Nevis Patriots has ended after three matches for what the tournament organizers called “personal reasons”, according to reports.
Rayudu himself, however, clarified that he had committed to play in the CPL only till August 28 as he “had prior commitments”.
I have agreed to play in the cpl only till the 28 th of August as I have had prior commitments.. so as stated in the media I have not pulled out but finished my agreement.. thank you @CPL and @sknpatriots 🙏
— ATR (@RayuduAmbati) September 1, 2023
Rayudu, who had recently become the second Indian player to feature in the tournament after Pravin Tambe, has exited unexpectedly.
Rayudu’s CPL debut began with a duck, but he quickly contributed valuable runs in subsequent matches.
Rayudu played three innings for Patriots in the ongoing edition, scoring 47 runs at 15.66 and a strike rate of 117.50. His scores in his three innings were 0, 32 and 15.
The experienced batter had joined the franchise as a marquee player after retiring from Indian cricket.
Notably, Rayudu had been a part of the triumphant Chennai Super Kings (CSK) squad that secured the 2023 Indian Premier League (IPL) title.
According to ESPN Cricinfo, the franchise swiftly addressed these departures by enlisting replacements. The English duo, Benny Howell and Will Smeed have stepped in to fill the gaps left by Muzarabani and Rayudu, respectively.
However, the team currently holds the bottom position in the CPL standings.
Notably, the team’s initial two matches were affected by rain, resulting in washouts, and St Kitts and Nevis Patriots have struggled to secure a victory in matches since then.