As a youngster he captured everyone’s imagination with his batting skills in his first class season debut in 2001-02 for HyderabadAmbati Rayudu must be a relieved man. The 27-year-old has finally made his ‘long due’ one-day international debut against Zimbabwe at Harare last week.Rayudu, who displayed his skills as a batsman and also kept wickets whenever situation demanded, has always been up to it.As a youngster he captured everyone’s imagination with his batting skills in his first class season debut in 2001-02 for Hyderabad. In the very first match against Andhra Pradesh, he smashed two tons including a double century. He had technique, played copybook style shots and above all was an obedient student of the game. Owing to these qualities, Ambati was even termed as another Sachin Tendulkar in making.But then like many youngsters, he made a few mistakes. He dared to question the system — decisions taken by the Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) — which went on till 2005. His ugly spat with teammate Arjun Yadav, son of former India spinner and Hyderabad CA secretary Shivlal Yadav, resulted in his exit from Hyderabad.Unfortunately, the talented youngster’s career was going downhill, he had no guide, and it seemed the Sachin in making was fading away even before the real Sachin announced his retirement.Out of sheer desperation, he joined Andhra Pradesh in 2006 and the following year became a ‘rebel’ by joining the Indian Cricket League (ICL), a tournament not recognised by the BCCI. His dreams to represent India diminished.Rayudu’s situation resembled that of 3 Idiots’ characters Raju Rastogi and Farhan Qureshi when their roommate Rancho passed exams with flying colours while their names appeared at the bottom of the list. RP Singh, VRV Singh and Suresh Raina, who played under Rayudu’s captaincy in 2004 U-19 World Cup, had already earned the India cap.The wheels of fortune, once again, changed in favour of this Guntur cricketer. In 2009, the BCCI pardoned ICL players, allowing Rayudu to return to domestic cricket. He travelled to Baroda, but didn’t get a warm welcome. Before he took guard, ‘experts’ questioned his inclusion, as they believed that Moti Baug ground had enough home-grown talent. However, the ups and downs had made Rayudu a matured cricketer, and this time he played straight.With BCA management backing, Rayudu answered his critics with the bat. In the 2010-11 season — debut for Baroda — he scored 500 plus runs. And it proved enough to impress Tendulkar, who took the gifted batsman under his wings in the IPL for Mumbai Indians.Rayudu realised, what it takes to be Sachin, whose preaching reflected in his match-winning knocks of 51 and 156* for Rest of India against Ranji champs Mumbai in 2012-13 Irani Cup. In absence of Pathan brothers due to injury and Pinal Shah being out of form, Rayudu led Baroda in a couple of fixtures and gathered 600 runs with his bat.He followed it with series of impressive performances for eventual champions Mumbai Indians in IPL-6 and soon got the national call. Once again entry in the playing XI wasn’t easy, and he had to wait for a couple of series to don the blue jersey. Wiser Rayudu showed no signs of impatience and when he got an opportunity he grabbed it with both hands, hitting an unbeaten 63 on his debut. Surely, there’s more to come.

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