Rinku Singh will not be able to make a place in Team India?Image Credit Source: PTI
For any series, whenever there is talk of selection of Team India, the names of some openers are always discussed. They argue from experts to fans about whether they get a place or not. When it comes to a tournament like Asia Cup 2025, these discussions are even more because only 15 players have to be selected. All the attention for this tournament is on names like Shubman Gill, Shreyas Iyer and Yashasvi Jaiswal, but among them, the selection of explosive batsman Rinku Singh is also difficult.
Rinku also in trouble with Gill-Jayaswal
The Asia Cup will be held in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) between September 9 and September 28, which will be played in T20 format. For this, the announcement of Team India is expected on August 19 or 20. Before this selection, the main discussion is revolving around Gill and Jaiswal. Indian Test captain Gill and Test team opener Jaiswal have not played International T20 for the last one year and because of this they are busy in Test cricket. In such a situation, players like Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson and Tilak Verma have confirmed their place. In such a situation, the selection of Gill and especially Jaiswal is also seen hanging in the balance.
But a similar concern remains in front of Rinku Singh, who plays the role of finisher in the lower middle order. According to a PTI report, Rinku’s selection is not confirmed and may have to sit out of the Asia Cup. Since the T20 World Cup 2024, players like Captain Suryakumar Yadav and Hardik Pandya have made place in the middle order of Team India, besides Shivam Dubey and Nitish Kumar Reddy. Now Nitish is injured but his name is also presenting a name like Washington Sundar and it is becoming a disaster for Rinku.
Gambhir’s plan is giving shock!
In fact, one of the reasons for this is also the special plan of Head Coach Gautam Gambhir. Ever since Gambhir has become the head coach of Team India, he has focused on selecting such players in T20 and Test cricket who can play more than one role. This was seen in the selection of 3-3 all-rounders in the Test series on the tour of England, for which he was also criticized. But this approach is considered correct in T20 cricket and Gambhir has done so.
Rinku Singh mainly bat, while Hardik, Shivam and beautiful batting are also bowling. If Jitesh Sharma is included as a finisher, then he can also play the role of a backup wicketkeeper and he seems to be shocking Rinku’s hopes by hitting 5 consecutive sixes in the IPL.
There is less opportunities in IPL
Rinku made his debut in Team India in the same year on the basis of his super-show for Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL 2023. Since then, he has played 33 T20 matches, in which he has scored 546 runs at a strong average of 42 while playing in the middle order. During this time, he has proved his ability by collecting this run at the best strike rate of 161. But in the last 2 seasons in the IPL, he did not get much success and the reason for this was also his role, in which he had to bat below Andre Russell and he could not play 300 balls even after mixing these two seasons. In such a situation, they will be able to get a chance in Team India, it is difficult to say.
