SETBACK FOR RAYUDU

Rayudu set to be axed for England ODIs after failing to prove fitness

by Cricbuzz Staff • Published on

Rayudu's last appearance came in June 2016. © Getty

Ambati Rayudu's return to the national fold is set to be prolonged as the 32-year-old reportedly failed a yo-yo test on Saturday (June 15). Rayudu's failure to clear the fitness test comes close on the heels of fitness issues with Mohammed Shami and Sanju Samson, who were subsequently left out of the India squad for the Afghanistan Test and the India A squad for the one-day series in England respectively.

The Indian players bound for Ireland and England, partook in the fitness assessments conducted at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru, in the presence of trainer Shankar Basu and the other support staff. Most of them, including regular skipper Virat Kohli, cleared the tests while Rayudu's score was well below the threshold mark of 16.1, claimed a PTI report.

Rayudu, whose last international appearance was in an ODI against Zimbabwe in June 2016, was named in the India squad for the ODIs against England after a successful outing in the recently-concluded Indian Premier League. With 602 runs at an average of 43 and a strike rate of 149.75, he finished as the leading run-getter for Chennai Super Kings and the fourth highest run-scorer overall in IPL 2018.

The yo-yo test has become a criterion for fitness standards in Indian cricket determining selection. High-profile names like Yuvraj Singh and Suresh Raina, as well as young all-rounder Washington Sundar, had missed out on berths after failing to clear the basic mark on the yo-yo scale. Raina and Sundar eventually passed the test to earn spots in the Indian limited-overs teams.

India play two T20Is against Ireland on June 27 and 29 before the tour of England. Their England sojourn begins on July 3 with the limited-overs leg of three T20Is and three ODIs. From August 1 to September 11, India will take on England in a five-match Test series.

© Cricbuzz

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