Ambati Rayudu ignited a major controversy surrounding Suryakumar Yadav's match-winning catch in the T20 World Cup final against South Africa in Barbados in June last year.
Suryakumar's stunning running catch at long off dismissed the dangerous David Miller in the final over bowled by Hardik Pandya, securing a thrilling seven run victory for India and ending an 11-year wait for an ICC World title.
Left-hander Miller had struck a wide full toss down the ground but Suryakumar sprinted to his left at long off, flicked the ball into the air before crossing over the boundary, and stepped back to complete a sensational catch.
Rayudu, who was commentating during the match, left Indian fans furious as he questioned the legality of Suryakumar's catch.
The former India batter made a shocking disclosure that the boundary rope was pushed by the broadcasters for their on-ground show during the innings break, which indirectly benefitted the Indians.
'You had world feed commentators so during the break, they always put a chair and a screen on top of it so the broadcasters can see what is happening. That is why the rope (boundary cushion) was pushed back a little,' Rayudu revealed on the Unfiltered Podcast with Shubhankar Mishra on YouTube.
'The rope was left like that even after the chair and screen was removed, so for us (India) the boundary became a little bigger. We could it see if from above (in the commentator's box). It was god's plan.'
When asked if the catch could have been a six, Rayudu clarified: 'You can't say whether it is a six or not. If the rope was in its original position then maybe Surya would have still run inside it. God was with us. The catch was clean.'