It's the close shaves that are proving quite costly for Deccan Chargers. The man who hurt the Hyderabad-team most in Saturday's crucial Indian Premier League game against Mumbai Indians, Ambati Rayudu, could very well have been playing this game in a Chargers' shirt. After all, he is a Hyderabad boy.

Zaheer Khan gets Deccan Chargers' skipper for 19. PIC/SHADAB KHAN

The story goes that MI skipper Sachin Tendulkar stole the talented Hyderabadi from right under Chargers' nose. Chargers were keen on signing Rayudu for the third edition of the IPL, but were a little late in contacting the player.

It is learnt that the skipper of the defending champions, Adam Gilchrist, had called up Rayudu with an offer. By then, the Hyderabad-player had already committed to Tendulkar.

"Sachin called me and asked me to play for Mumbai Indians, and I cannot refuse him," Rayudu had told Gilchrist.
The Chargers must be ruing the miss even more after Saturday's game.

The 24-year-old was in blazing form at the Brabourne Stadium scoring a 29-ball 55 (6 fours, 2 sixes) to power MI to a convincing 63-run win. MI scored 178 for five and bowled out Chargers for 115 in 18.2 overs
Rayudu was earmarked early as one for the future. But, it is this IPL that has finally seen him flourish and gain the deserved recognition.

In six IPL games, he has scored 162 runs with two half-centuries at an average of 32.40.

Along with left-hand batsman Saurabh Tiwary, he has established himself as the backbone of MI's middle-order. Rayudu and Tiwary stitched together another valuable partnership on Saturday, adding 65 runs for the fourth wicket. After the two revived the innings, Rayudu combined with Kieron Pollard to plunder 64 off the last five overs, (34 off the last two), to take Mumbai to 178.

"It was really good and I'm happy that I contributed in a good way.

"I'm really happy to get a platform like the IPL," said Rayudu.

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