Joy Bhattacharjya, former Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) director, voiced his disappointment regarding Rinku Singh’s absence from the Indian squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2024.
Joy Bhattacharjya raised a pertinent question to the selectors regarding the exclusion of Rinku Singh from the squad despite his consistent performances. Despite being a consistent performer, Rinku Singh did not secure a spot in the 15-member India squad for the prestigious tournament, as announced by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Tuesday, April 30. Instead, he found himself included in the reserve players’ list, serving as a potential addition to the team in case of injuries.
At 26 years old, Rinku Singh made his T20I debut for India against Ireland in August the previous year. He had made his mark with an impressive record of 356 runs in 15 T20I appearances, boasting an outstanding average of 89 and an exceptional strike rate of 176.24. Having scored two half-centuries, with his best performance being 69 runs, his batting prowess was evident.
Joy Bhattacharjya expressed his disappointment regarding Rinku Singh’s absence from the Indian team, advocating for his inclusion in the playing XI. Bhattacharjya emphasized Rinku’s ability to deliver whenever given the opportunity, underscoring the significance of his remarkable T20I batting performances.
“His current T20I batting average is 89. How can you drop this man? How can this guy not be an automatic first XI chance? He has never missed a single opportunity that he has been given,” Joy Bhattacharjya said.
Rinku Singh hasn’t quite made a significant impact for the Kolkata Knight Riders in the 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL). Hailing from Uttar Pradesh, the cricketer has only faced 82 deliveries in eight innings. So far, he’s managed to notch up 123 runs, averaging 20.50 with a strike rate of 150. His highest score stands at 26.
Ajit Agarkar, the chief selector of Team India, expressed how challenging it was to leave Rinku Singh out of the 15-man squad for the T20 World Cup 2024.
“It’s probably the toughest thing we had to discuss. He has done nothing wrong. I don’t think it has anything to do with Rinku Singh. It’s not his fault that he has missed out. It’s more the 15 that we felt gives with two keepers who are already terrific batters. So we just thought having another bowling option would be handy. He is still one of the traveling subs. That’s how close he was,” Agarkar said during press conference.
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