"It's not the Orange Cap that wins you the IPL" - Ambati Rayudu's indirect dig at RCB while congratulating KKR for IPL 2024 triumph
Former Chennai Super Kings (CSK) batter Ambati Rayudu took yet another sly dig at the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), this time while congratulating the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) for securing their third IPL title. KKR beat the SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) by eight wickets in a one-sided final in Chennai on Sunday, May 26.
Rayudu shed light on how star players like Sunil Narine, Andre Russell, and Mitchell Starc combined with effective contributions to Kolkata's triumph. He claimed that winning the Orange Cap doesn't guarantee a title, making an indirect reference to RCB's Virat Kohli scoring the most runs in IPL 2024.
Ambati Rayudu told Star Sports after KKR's win:
"Congratulations to the KKR team for really standing up for stalwarts like Narine, Russell, and Starc, and also contributing their share in the team's win. That’s how a team wins the IPL. We have seen this over the years. It's not the Orange Cap that wins you the IPL but it is the contributions like 300 runs each (from many players)."
Kohli won the Orange Cap with a staggering 741 runs in the season. However, RCB got knocked out of the IPL yet again, this time in the Eliminator against the Rajasthan Royals.
Ambati Rayudu recently shared a message for RCB fans
Ambati Rayudu has faced scrutiny on social media for his blunt views on RCB and why they haven't won any trophies. After Bengaluru were knocked out, Rayudu took to X to explain to RCB fans what exactly was wrong with the franchise.
"My heart truly goes out to all the RCB supporters who have passionately supported the team over the years. If only the management and the leaders had the team's interests ahead of individual milestones, RCB would have won multiple titles. Just remember how many fantastic players have been let go of. Force your management to bring players who will put team interests first. A great new chapter can start from the mega auction," he wrote.
RCB had knocked CSK out of the IPl 2024 playoff race by winning their final league game by 27 runs. Rayudu's clip of being disappointed went viral on social media and he was trolled by the Bengaluru fans.
As a response, Rayudu posted a video of himself and his CSK teammates celebrating their fifth IPL trophy in their team bus last year. The banter between the cricketer and the RCB fans seems to be one that may go on for quite some time.