Manasi Joshi, a top para-badminton champion, openly criticized Harbhajan Singh, Yuvraj Singh, and Suresh Raina for their lack of awareness and sensitivity in a video they posted. She stressed the need to understand and respect the challenges faced by people with disabilities.

Yuvraj Singh, Harbhajan Singh, and Suresh Raina, former India cricketers, are facing backlash after Manasi Joshi accused them of mocking the way people with disabilities walk.

Manasi, a former world no. 1 in her SL3 badminton category, called out the cricketers for their insensitive Instagram reel posted after their win against Pakistan in the World Championship of Legends tournament.

Harbhajan shared a video on Sunday showing the ex-India players limping and dancing to the Bollywood song “Tauba Tauba” after the match. India Champions, led by Ambati Rayudu’s 50 run performance, chased a 157 run target in the final over.

“Body ki Tauba Tauba ho Gayi in 15 days legends cricket. Every part of the body is sore,” Harbhajan wrote.

The controversial reel

Joshi, an outspoken advocate for people with disabilities, expressed her disappointment and anger over the insensitive content.

Manasi Joshi’s advocacy and response

“Wanted more responsibility from the stars that you all are, please do not mock at the gait patterns of people with disabilities. This isn’t funny.

“You don’t know how much harm your behaviour can do. The appreciation you’re getting from people around is appalling to see. This reel of yours is going to encourage that it is ok to make fun of the walking patterns of people with disabilities for a few laughs. More young children with disabilities will be bullied by using this reel. If any of you athletes would have done responsible community service in disability space area, you all would not have come up with this reel. I’m scared how the PR agencies of these athletes approved this reel for public platform,” Manasi wrote

“This isn’t legendary if you’re mocking the gait patterns of people with polio. This will enable bullying on young children with disabilities in India,” Manasi added.

In a nail-biting final match of the World Championship of Legends on July 13, 2024, between India Champions and Pakistan Champions, India Champions secured a comfortable victory. Chasing Pakistan’s total of 156/6, India put on a stellar show, where Ambati Rayudu scored a quick 50 and Yusuf Pathan also played an explosive knock.

With Yuvraj Singh’s brilliant captaincy, India reached their target, finishing with a score of 159/5 in 19.1 overs, winning the match by 5 wickets with 5 balls in hand as well. Irfan Pathan was on strike in the final over when he hit a four to help India reach the target and win the trophy of the WCL 2024. He straight went to hug the India Champions captain Yuvraj Singh as they beat Pakistan convincingly.

After winning the toss and opting to bat first, Pakistan’s captain, Younis Khan, helped his side to post a decent 156/6 in their allotted 20 overs. India responded well where Ambati Rayudu scored a crucial 50 runs off just 30 balls with 5 fours and 2 sixes while opening the chase with Robin Uthappa.

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Ambati Rayudu scores a quick fifty

Their onslaught against the Pakistani bowlers during the powerplay helped India to start well. Rayudu struck Aamer Yameen for a maximum in the first over and a boundary to set the platform. Uthappa also kept attacking in the next over, striking Yameen for two fours as well but he couldn’t score much as the same bowler quickly dismissed him. Arriving in third, Suresh Raina also hit a boundary on his second ball but was caught by Sohail Tanvir soon after, leaving India at 38/2.

Then Ambati Rayudu steadied the ship and added a vital 60-run partnership with Gurkeerat Singh Mann. Reaching his fifty, Rayudu positioned India strongly at 98/2 following 11 overs as well. Pakistan bounced back, though, dismissing Mann (34 off 33) and Rayudu (50 off 30) inside ten balls as well.

However, Yusuf Pathan and Yuvraj Singh added 42 runs as well. While Yuvraj (15* off 22) played the anchor’s role, Pathan’s quickfire 30 off 16 balls put India in a strong position. Meanwhile, Pathan was dismissed in the last over, caught by Shoaib Maqsood for a six, leaving India short of 7 runs to win from the last 10 balls. Then Irfan Pathan sealed the win by striking a boundary on the first ball of the last over as well.

Former Indian cricketer Ambati Rayudu expressed his sadness about Rinku Singh not being chosen for India’s T20 World Cup 2024 team, even though Rinku has been great at finishing games. Rinku has played only 15 T20 matches for India but has an amazing average of 89 and a strike rate of 176.23, making him a reliable player. Rayudu said besides Ravindra Jadeja, India didn’t have a good finisher, and Rinku should’ve been picked.

Ambati Rayudu shares his opinion on social media  

Ambati Rayudu went on X (formerly Twitter) and indirectly criticized the selectors for picking reputation over skill for the T20 World Cup squad.

Rayudu knows how Rinku feels because Rayudu faced a similar situation when he was left out of the 2019 World Cup squad, which upset fans and raised questions.

MSK Prasad faced criticism as the chief selector of the Indian National Cricket Team, despite India’s success in reaching the finals of the 2017 Champions Trophy and the semi-finals of the 2019 ODI World Cup under his tenure. However, some decisions made by Prasad and his team puzzled both fans and experts. The most notable one was the exclusion of Ambati Rayudu from India’s 2019 World Cup squad.

Tom Moody shares the reason behind Rinku’s omission

Tom Moody, a former Australian cricketer, tried to explain why Rinku Singh wasn’t chosen. He said India wanted lots of all-rounders and good spinners in the team, so they had to choose between Shivam Dube and Rinku Singh.

Tom Moody added, “The way I see it, it had nothing to do with form, it had everything to do with the fact that Dube can bowl. If Rinku Singh could bowl, if both were identical cricketers, left-hand batters who could bowl part-time medium pace, he would be in that squad.”

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India still has time to change their final 15-player squad until May 25, according to ICC rules. It will be interesting to see if Rinku Singh can do something amazing in IPL 2024 to get into the team before the deadline.

Ruturaj Gaikwad, taking over as captain from the legendary MS Dhoni for IPL 2024, has seen a mixed bag of results. Leading Chennai Super Kings (CSK), Gaikwad secured four wins in his first eight games, but recent losses have brought criticism and pressure.

Initially, CSK seemed on the right track with four wins in six games. However, recent defeats to Lucknow Super Giants, especially Marcus Stoinis’ powerful batting, exposed weaknesses in CSK’s bowling and Gaikwad’s strategies.

According to a report Ambati Rayudu criticizes Ruturaj

According to MensXP, former CSK player Ambati Rayudu was reported to have criticized Gaikwad’s captaincy and field placements. “Poor field placements in death overs by Ruturaj (Gaikwad). We clearly saw a lack of experience as a captain,” Rayudu had reportedly said on Star Sports.

“If you credit Dhoni for CSK wins then blame him for the losses too…” 

The website even mentioned former India player Navjot Singh Sidhu’s comments, suggesting that if MS Dhoni gets credit for wins, he should also face criticism for losses. “If you credit Dhoni for CSK wins then blame him for the losses too. Dhoni is still the main think tank,” Sidhu was quoted as saying.

See Also: Delhi Capitals beat Gujarat Titans by 4 runs

However, Rayudu denied making any such comments about Gaikwad, CSK, or Dhoni. He shares a post on his social media about the matter. With consecutive losses to Lucknow Super Giants, CSK has slipped out of playoff contention, currently holding the fifth position. Their next challenge is against Sunrisers Hyderabad on Sunday.

Ambati Rayudu, the former India batter, expressed his excitement at the prospect of seeing Rohit Sharma donning the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) jersey in the upcoming seasons of the Indian Premier League (IPL). Rayudu, known for his stint with CSK, voiced his support for Rohit’s potential move, highlighting the significance it could hold in IPL history. He confidently backed Rohit, who is 36 years old, to continue his IPL journey for another 5 to 6 years effortlessly.

In a surprising turn of events, Mumbai Indians announced that Rohit Sharma would not lead the team in IPL 2024, slated to commence on March 22.

MI’s leadership shuffle

The reins of captaincy were handed over to Hardik Pandya, following a historic trade deal where Hardik was traded from Gujarat Titans to Mumbai Indians after the mini-auction in December. The franchise justified the decision by stating the need for a transition period and assured that Rohit would maintain a pivotal role in the team’s performance in the upcoming season.

This decision caused a stir among cricket enthusiasts, as Rohit Sharma has been widely credited for Mumbai Indians’ phenomenal success in the IPL. Taking over the captaincy from Ricky Ponting midway through the 2013 season, Rohit led Mumbai Indians to their maiden title victory. Since then, he has been instrumental in guiding the team to five IPL titles, making him the most successful captain in the tournament’s history.

See Also: Paine concerns Bumrah and Shami pose threat to Australia’s batting

Rayudu shares is vision for IPL’s future

Rayudu told, “I want to see him play for CSK in the near future. He has played so long for Mumbai Indians. It would be nice if he can play for CSK and win there as well. That’s (captaincy at CSK) upon him. Rohit has earned the right to take that call. It’s his call on whether or not he wants to lead or not.”

The move to replace Rohit as captain prompted discussions about the impact it could have on Mumbai Indians’ performance and Rohit’s legacy within the franchise. Despite the change in leadership, the anticipation remains high as fans eagerly await Rohit’s future endeavors in the IPL, including the possibility of seeing him in the vibrant yellow of CSK as Rayudu envisions.

Former India and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) player Ambati Rayudu recently applauded MS Dhoni, praising him for bringing out the best of his players as captain. Rayudu shared how senior batter Ajinkya Rahane’s Indian Premier League (IPL) career saw a new height during his stint with CSK under Dhoni’s captaincy.

Speaking on The Ranveer Show, he said: “Have you ever seen him (Ajinkya Rahane) bat like that? The way he has batted this year is tremendous, with the way he has come out and expressed himself. He has always had the talent, but it is how you tap into it. That is where Dhoni bhai, being such a great leader, brings out the best in everybody. Even Stephen Fleming. Apart from MI, I don’t think any other franchises do that.”

However, Ajinkya Rahane got appreciation for his batting exploits in IPL 2023 as well. The veteran batter managed 326 runs from 11 innings at a stunning strike rate of 172.48 as well. Ambati Rayudu opined on how playing under MS Dhoni has benefited several Indian and overseas cricketers also. He also added that there isn’t anybody in Indian cricket who can question Dhoni’s decision-making.

“He has brought out the best in so many players across formats. He has even brought out the best in many foreign players that have played for CSK. He has it in him. I don’t even know how to express it because he is either blessed or he has cultivated it over so many years of playing the sport. Many times I wonder why is he doing something which I wouldn’t think is appropriate, but end of the day, the results show that he was right. He is right 99.99 percent of the time. I don’t think anybody in Indian cricket is in a position to question his decisions now because he has been so successful.” he further added.

Meanwhile, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) had a stunning season, securing their fifth title in the tournament as well. They beat the Gujarat Titans (GT) in a last-ball thriller to clinch the trophy as well.

“He is very aggressive from the inside” – Ambati Rayudu on MS Dhoni

Meanwhile, Ambati Rayudu further shared that while MS Dhoni appears to be very calm and composed from the outside, he is aggressive inside. However, he stated that Dhoni never gets angry when he sees that a player is giving his all as well.

“He (Dhoni) is very aggressive from the inside; otherwise, you wouldn’t be playing the sport for so long and competing for so long. What makes him so good is he never gets angry when somebody is giving their 100 percent and does a mistake. He is not angry just for the sake of it,” he again shared.

Ambati Rayudu said that opening batter Ruturaj Gaikwad is the right candidate to lead CSK after MS Dhoni’s retirement as well. Rayudu had a poor season with the bat, scoring 158 runs in 12 innings in IPL 2023. He, however announced his retirement from all forms of Indian cricket following the edition as well.

“I think it should be Ruturaj Gaikwad. But post the Dhoni bhai era, I don’t think it will be that much of a difference. I still see him with CSK in some capacity, holding things together. So I am sure it will remain the same,” Ambati Rayudu concluded.

Ambati Rayudu’s career has been a tough one to follow. After leading the Under-19 side in the 2004 World Cup, a side with a lot of future prospects, Ambati Rayudu faded away despite all his talent. His temper was an issues as he often got on the wrong side of the wrong people, once going after the Hyderabad Cricket Association as well.

On May 28th though, Ambati Rayudu finally announced a retirement, this time promising no U-turns. Like many incidents throughout his career, his retirement too has been an interesting story. He first announced his retirement after missing out on a spot in the 2019 World Cup, only to announce his comeback a few months later. Last season, he once again announced his retirement only for it to be taken back as the Chennai Super Kings management convinced him to stay on and play for a little longer.

The fact that the Chennai Super Kings asked him to stay on is proof of his value in the side. His career though has not been short of controversy. From the beginning, in 2008, his controversies started. His first run with the authorities began when he chose to play in the Indian Cricket League, which led to him being banned from official games conducted by the BCCI. He came into the IPL in 2009 though and has been an integral part of the Mumbai Indians ever since.

From his initial days he has contributed immensely for them, and doubled up as wicket-keeper on many occasions as well. Mumbai unfortunately could not retain him in 2018, and he ended up with the Chennai Super Kings, starting a journey which pushed his career to different heights. In his first season with the Super Kings he was a very important part of their push for the title with 602 runs in the season. He opened the batting and later dropped down as well doing whatever was necessary to help with the team combination.

A World Cup spot after that performance was his for the taking. He got to play a stretch of games for India after that, but missed out for various reasons, resulting in him lashing out at the Selectors and also announcing his retirement.

Ambati Rayudu though remained an integral part of the Chennai Super Kings. In 2020, with Suresh Raina opting out of the season, Rayudu took the number three spot. The season did not go well but his performances were pretty good throughout. In 2021 and 2022, Rayudu again proved his worth with small contributions that often go unnoticed. He consistently provided cameos for the side but without too many substantial scores Ambati Rayudu could not stand out like the others.

In 2023, in his Final season, Rayudu finally came out of the shadows with another traditional cameo. Throughout the season Ambati Rayudu was often used only for his batting while he was subbed out via the impact sub rule in the second half. His batting too wasn’t used much with Ambati Rayudu often being sent towards the second half to go out and have a nice slog.

In the first Qualifier though, his 17 off 10 proved to be very valuable as CSK got enough to defend on a slow track. It was his contribution in the Final though which made the difference. Throughout his career, with Ambati Rayudu’s technique and timing, he has been a player who could take on bowlers who are often thorns to the other batters. He has a really good record against the likes of Jasprit Bumrah and Rashid Khan proving that he loves going after the best bowlers in the tournament.

Throughout the chase CSK had the pushes needed but in the last few overs, with the bowling attack left, it looked like CSK would not have the legs to push through. Mohit Sharma had a really good record this season in the death, but Ambati Rayudu once again did not bother. He backed himself and bought out his vintage lofted slog over the off-side. In his Final game he went trademark Rayudu as he went six, four, six to get the equation from 38 off 18 to 22 off 15. He did not finish the game but his 19 off 8 kept Chennai alive as Rayudu finished with yet another cameo that silently made a huge impact on the game.

A man of few words, often known to be a rebel, Ambati Rayudu signed off in a manner that resembles a career of what was and what could have been. He gave an emotional interview after the game as well, and his cameo proves that he will leave a hole in the CSK line-up as a man who silently gives his hundred percent with incredible cameos walks away.

After being touted as one of the players for the future back in 2004, Ambati Rayudu closed things out and kept his side alive with his grit. In the end it was only fitting that MS Dhoni called up Ambati Rayudu to collect the trophy, displaying Rayudu’s value in the side and showing the respect he has earnt from his teammates.