Mumbai Indians' playing 11 from Ambati Rayudu's IPL debut in 2010 - where are they now?
Former India batter Ambati Rayudu celebrated his 39th birthday on Monday, September 23. Rayudu, who called it quits from professional cricket after the 2023 IPL, was part of the Chennai Super Kings squad which lifted their fifth IPL title.
An animated character on the field, Rayudu never shied away from expressing his emotions. Following his ouster from the 2019 ODI World Cup squad, his 3D tweet where he took a jibe at the BCCI selection panel went viral.
Keeping his controversies aside, Rayudu was a workhorse and scored runs whenever his team needed him. He made his IPL debut for the Mumbai Indians in 2010 against the Rajasthan Royals and remained an integral member of the MI team for the next seven years.
Mumbai Indians bought him when no one showed faith in his abilities, especially after his association with the rebel Indian Cricket League.
In 2018, Rayudu was snapped up by Chennai Super Kings. While he was used in the middle order or the lower-middle order in the Mumbai Indians setup, he was offered a new role by CSK.
Mostly playing as an opener for CSK, Rayudu scored tons of runs and was crucial in the franchise winning the IPL titles in 2020 and 2023.
On his birthday, let us have a look at the Playing XI of Mumbai Indians from his debut match and where are they now:
Openers - Sanath Jayasuriya and Sachin Tendulkar
One of the most brutal strikers of the ball in his heydays, Sanath Jayasuriya opened the innings for Mumbai Indians in Ambati Rayudu’s debut clash against the Rajasthan Royals in 2013.
The Sri Lankan, who scored a quickfire 23 off 14 deliveries, is the head coach of the Lankan men’s national team.
Arguably the greatest player to have graced the game, Sachin Tendulkar was the captain of the Mumbai Indians during Rayudu’s debut IPL clash. He struck a stroke-filled 17 off 11 deliveries before Dimitri Mascarenhas dismissed him.
Since retiring from international cricket in 2013, Tendulkar has enjoyed his time off the field. Tendulkar is an active social media user and keeps his fans updated on his whereabouts.
Middle order - Aditya Tare, Saurabh Tiwary, Ambati Rayudu, Rajagopal Sathish
Aditya Tare kept wickets and batted at No. 3 in Rayudu’s first IPL game. He scored an attacking 13-ball 23-run knock
Tare was part of the Mumbai Indians set-up for a long time but didn't get enough opportunities. He played his first-class cricket for Mumbai until 2022 before moving to Uttarakhand after Mumbai didn't pick him for the pre-season camp ahead of the 2022 Ranji Trophy.
Meanwhile, Saurabh Tiwary who came into the MI squad alongside Rayudu, continued to be at the forefront of the franchise for the next few years. Tiwary scored a brilliant half-century (53 off 33) and shared a crucial stand with Rayudu.
Tiwary’s career didn't quite blossom the way he would have wanted. He announced his retirement from professional cricket earlier this year and played his last Ranji Trophy match on February 15.
Ambati Rayudu had a debut to remember for the Mumbai Indians. Taking IPL cricket like fish to water, Rayudu scored a magnificent 55 off just 33 deliveries with the aid of six fours and two sixes.
Since he retired from international cricket, Rayudu has been part of the commentary panels. He was also part of the India Champions squad which won the inaugural edition of the World Championship of Legends.
Rajagopal Sathish couldn't make a significant impact, scoring just six runs and conceding 51 runs from his three overs. The 43-year-old all-rounder is still an active cricketer and was part of the Chepauk Super Gillies in the last edition of the Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL).
Bowlers - Harbhajan Singh, Ryan McLaren, Zaheer Khan, Lasith Malinga, Ali Murtaza
Another integral member of the Mumbai Indians for several years, Harbhajan Singh couldn't quite make an impact during Rayudu’s debut game. He scored just eight runs and surprisingly wasn't asked to bowl by Sachin Tendulkar.
He played his last IPL match for KKR in 2021. Currently, Harbhajan can be seen playing tournaments for retired players and is an active face in the commentary box.
Coming to Ryan McLaren, the former South African all-rounder scored 11 off five balls and conceded 43 runs from his four overs. McLaren last played a professional match in 2019 and is currently trying to impart his cricketing knowledge to the next generation at Grey College in Bloemfontein.
One of the finest fast bowlers to have emerged from India, Zaheer Khan went wicketless in Rayudu’s debut. Zaheer was an internal part of India’s ODI World Cup-winning campaign in 2011.
The left-arm pacer was recently roped in as the mentor of the Lucknow Supergiants in the IPL after the role was left vacant by Gautam Gambhir. It will be interesting to see how Zaheer shapes up the franchise in the coming years.
Arguably the greatest T20 bowler to have ever graced the game, Lasith Malinga was the only bowler in that particular match who conceded runs at less than run a ball and also bagged two crucial wickets to orchestrate a four-run win for the Mumbai Indians.
Malinga was appointed the fast bowling coach of the Rajasthan Royals in 2022. He was also part of the coaching set-up in MI New York and MI Cape Town. Malinga returned as a bowling coach for the Mumbai Indians ahead of the 2024 season.
Former left-arm spinner Ali Murtaza was bought by the Mumbai Indians ahead of the 2010 season but couldn't make an impact in the IPL. Murtaza was taken to the cleaners in Rayudu’s debut game, conceding 46 runs and picking up a wicket. He played his last T20 game way back in 2015. There is no concrete information on what the spinner is doing these days.