Ambati Rayudu called up as Tiwary’s replacement for England T20s

India have called up uncapped Ambati Rayudu as replacement for injured Manoj Tiwary in their squad for the two-match T20 series against India later this month.


The 27-year-old Rayudu, who plays for Baroda in India’s premier first class tournament, the Ranji Trophy, earned his maiden national call up after having impressed the selectors in the domestic circuit. The big-hitting middle-order batsman has scored four half centuries (64, 85, 54 and 58) and a ton (131) in his last five Ranji games.

The Andhra Pradesh wicketkeeper batsman did not have too much success on his last Twenty20 assignment, the Champions League T20 tournament in South Africa in October, managing just 26 runs in four innings for defending champions Mumbai Indians. However, he was Mumbai’s second highest run scorer in this year’s Indian Premier League at home, amassing a tally of 333 runs from 15 innings, at a hefty strike rate of 132.14.

Rayudu has to date played 79 Twenty20 matches, compiling 1725 runs, including 12 half centuries, at an average of 26.13 and a strike rate of 122.16.

Tiwary was on Monday ruled out of the short series against the Poms due to a serious back injury, which will keep him out of action for at least six weeks. The right-hander, who skippers state side Bengal in India’s domestic circuit, had picked up the injury during a Ranji Trophy match against Saurashtra on Sunday, while batting in Bengal’s first innings before retiring hurt on 55.

The 27-year-old talented middle-order batsman, who has so far played eight One Day Internationals and three T20 Internationals for India, will undergo a comprehensive rehabilitation programme at the National Cricket Academy in Bangalore under physio Nitin Patel.

"The MRI report has come and I am leaving for Bangalore tomorrow," Tiwary told PTI from Rajkot on Monday. "I will follow what physio Nitin Patel tells me to do once he checks the report. As of now it looks like six weeks," added the Bengal batsman.

This is a second setback in quick succession for Tiwary, who had earlier missed the start of the Ranji Trophy due to a wrist problem.

India will take on England in two T20 Internationals in Pune and Mumbai on December 20 and 22, before taking on Pakistan in a short limited-overs series between December 25 and January 6.