CHENNAI: Rinku Singh had a mediocre season with the eventual champions Kolkata Knight Riders in 2024 scoring 168 runs from 15 matches. A lot of it could be attributed to him coming down the order when a batter has no option than trying to score quick runs even if that means playing more risky shots and perishing in the process.
Soon after, the Uttar Pradesh all-rounder, who also bowls off break, didn't find a place in the team for the 2024 T20 World Cup. Despite being a regular in the T20I set up since making his debut in August 2023, Rinku missed the marquee tournament and team combination was cited as a reason. The Rohit Sharma-led team management wanted four spinners and Rinku missed out.
Things started looking the same once again with the 29-year-old left-hand batter omitted from the team for the five-match T20I series against South Africa — the penultimate bilateral series before the World Cup. Signs were there when Rinku could not find a place in the playing XI against hosts Australia in the first four matches of the five T20Is in the previous series. He eventually got the chance but the last match ended in a no result.
It looked Rinku, who curiously is considered a T20 specialist despite him boasting an impressive average of 59.30 from 52 first-class matches and 47.54 from 62 List A games, might have to suffer the heartache until the team combination, which once led to his ouster, made his entry possible in the squad of 15.
India selectors took a brave call on Saturday to axe Shubman Gill, who not only made his comeback to the T20I set up but was also made the vice captain in the Asia Cup earlier this year. Gill's exclusion gave the management an option at the top and they preferred to have a wicketkeeper-batter in his place thus opening the door for out-of-favour Ishan Kishan. Gill's ouster created a ripple effect and with Sanju Samson already in the team, the place of Jitesh Sharma, who has become the first-choice wicketkeeper of late, fell vacant. This gave Rinku a chance to return to the team for the premier event. "We wanted to have a keeper at the top. We wanted to have someone like Rinku Singh or maybe a Washington Sundar later on to have a different combination. So, that's why we brought in that extra wicketkeeper at the top. And it's not about the form, it's about the quality. He's (Gill) a terrific player. And there's no question about that. It's just that the situation is such that we need a keeper to back up the order to have 2-3 good combinations which can win us the World Cup," India T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav told journalists during the press conference after the squad announcement.
Whatever might have prompted the decision but Rinku seems to be the most viable option down the order given his knack to score runs at brisk pace. He has a strike rate of 186.9 and tops the list of Indian batters in the death overs since 2024 which also includes Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Shivam Dube and Washington Sundar.
Compare his numbers with Jitesh Sharma, whom he had replaced, it becomes crystal clear that opting for Rinku is a good call going forward. Jitesh has batted in all positions from No 4 to 8 in 12 innings so far scoring 162 runs at a strike rate of 151.40. Almost similarly, Rinku too has batted from No 4 to 7 scoring 550 runs from 25 innings striking at a rate of 161.76.
It's true numbers may not present the full picture on occasions but Rinku has proved time and again — be it his stint with the state side or IPL franchise or the India team — that he has the potential to rip apart any bowling attack on his day and co-hosts India will need his destructive prowess quite often if they wish to retain the title.