Former cricketer Ambati Rayudu is considering entering politics and political parties in the states of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh are vying for him. Rayudu, who recently announced his retirement from the Indian Premier League (IPL), has yet to decide which party he will join. He met with Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy last month, prompting speculation that he may join the YSR Congress Party, while there is also a rumour that he may join the Congress and contest for Lok Sabha from Telangana.
Congress leaders believe that Rayudu, who is from Guntur district of Andhra Pradesh, will have the support of settlers in the Malkajgiri constituency in Hyderabad, which has a significant number of voters from Andhra Pradesh. They are reportedly offering him a ticket for the Malkajgiri Lok Sabha seat, a proposal that is being considered by the party’s leadership.
Rayudu has played for India in 55 ODIs between 2014 and 2019, and six international T20 matches, and scored 1,694 runs, including three centuries and 10 fifties. He has appeared in 190 matches for Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians in the IPL.
Rayudu has stated that he wants to serve people and is not seeking options for a second career in cricket like coaching and commentary. He played cricket as a child because of his father’s influence and famously scored 210 and an unbeaten 159 against Andhra, becoming the youngest player in the history of Ranji Trophy to score a double century and a century in the same match. He also captained the Indian under-19 team at the 2004 ICC World Cup.
