37 Facts About Ambati Rayudu

1. Ambati Rayudu put a strong case forward for his place in the marquee event after finishing the India-New Zealand ODI series as the highest.

2. Ambati Rayudu got his chance to play ODIs in Zimbabwe in 2013, where many seniors including MS Dhoni were rested, and the team was led by Virat Kohli.

3. Ambati Rayudu got his maiden national call-up as a replacement for an injured Manoj Tiwary for a T20I against England at Edgbaston.

4. Ambati Rayudu is yet to make his Test debut, he has played 31 ODIs for which includes 2 centuries and 5 half-centuries and an individual best of 124*.

5. Ambati Rayudu put up a 98-run stand with all-rounder Vijay Shankar for the 5th wicket after India was reduced to 18 for four by Kiwi bowlers.

6. Ambati Rayudu won the man of the match for his brilliant knock of 90 runs.

7. Ambati Rayudu played two ODIs on the Bangladesh tour in June 2015 and averaged 22.

8. Ambati Rayudu averaged 28.50 in the home ODI series against West Indies in October 2014.

9. Ambati Rayudu struggled during the three-match ODI tour of Bangladesh, making two single-digit scores.

10. Ambati Rayudu played in all matches of 2014 Asia Cup and scored 58 against Pakistan.

11. Ambati Rayudu became the 12th Indian batsman to score a half-century on ODI debut.

12. Ambati Rayudu made 63* and in partnership with his captain, Virat Kohli, who made a century, helped India win.

13. Ambati Rayudu played for Rest of India in the 2013 Irani Cup against Mumbai and scored 51 and 156*.

14. Ambati Rayudu was included in the 30 probables for the 2012 ICC World Twenty20 but failed to make it to the final 15-man squad.

15. Ambati Rayudu averaged 24.83 with the bat at the tournament and was banned for the semifinal against Pakistan for breaching the ICC Code of Conduct in the previous match.

16. Ambati Rayudu captained India Under-19s to the title at the Asia Under-19 tournament, with an unbeaten fifty in the final.

17. Ambati Rayudu became the youngest player in the history of Ranji Trophy to score a double century and a century in the same match.

18. Ambati Rayudu appeared for India Under-15s at the ACC Under-15 Trophy in 2000, finishing as the leading run-scorer of the tournament and winning man of the match in the final against Pakistan.

19. Ambati Rayudu eventually made his international debut in July 2013, in an ODI against Zimbabwe.

20. Ambati Rayudu plays for Hyderabad in domestic cricket, and Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League.

21. Ambati Rayudu has all but have snuffed out whatever residual hope Yuvraj might have entertained by cementing his hold over the two-drop position in One-Day Internationals, while Thursday's decision by Kings XI Punjab to release their one-time 'icon.

22. Ambati Rayudu passed the yo-yo test to find a way back to the side ahead of the recently-concluded series against the Windies.

23. Ambati Rayudu has emerged as the front-runner for the position most recently, with Kohli saying that he was likely to remain at that spot for the World Cup.

24. Ambati Rayudu has been involved in confrontations with players and umpires throughout his career.

25. Ambati Rayudu married Chennupalli Vidya, a college friend, on 14 February 2009.

26. In the subsequent tour of Zimbabwe, Ambati Rayudu scored an unbeaten 124 in the first ODI at Harare and won the man of the match award.

27. Ambati Rayudu averaged 19.33 in the tri-series against Australia and England and was selected in India's 15-member squad for the 2015 Cricket World Cup which reached the semifinal, but did not appear in any of the matches in the tournament.

28. Ambati Rayudu was picked in the ODI and T20I squads for the tour of England in July 2014.

29. In an interview in November 2007, Ambati Rayudu backed his decision to play in the ICL by remarking, "I didn't want to play ten years of domestic cricket and feel that I have not played any international-quality opposition.

30. Ambati Rayudu could play only three Ranji matches that season as he suffered a knee injury that kept him out of action.

31. In 2003, Ambati Rayudu played extensively for India A on its West Indies and England tours.

32. Ambati Rayudu began his career playing for Hyderabad youth teams in the late-1990s, playing at the Under-16 and Under-19 levels.

33. Ambati Rayudu was born on 23 September 1985 in Guntur, Andhra Pradesh.

34. Rohit Sharma and Ambati Rayudu combined for a 211-run stand for the fourth wicket in the fourth ODI against West Indies.

35. Ambati Rayudu played a supporting role to Rohit Sharma for most of the day, but the significance of his hundred cannot be understated.

36. Ambati Rayudu reveals his comeback story and it involves biryani.

37. Ambati Rayudu scored a brilliant century in the 4th ODI against West Indies, and has shown his potential as a number 4 batsman.