- Monday, February 24, 2025
The former India cricketer said Singh had no fault in not making it to the regular squad but the need for getting a right combination led to his exclusion.
By: Shubham Ghosh
THE Indian selectors’ decision to ignore Rinku Singh, a hard-hitting middle-order batter, for the upcoming T20 World Cup in the West Indies and the United States has been criticised in various quarters.
Chief Indian selector Ajit Agarkar on Thursday (2) faced the media along with captain Rohit Sharma at the headquarters of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) in Mumbai where he said that Singh did not make it to the squad of 15 members not because of his own fault but due to the need to find the right combination.
“Not his fault that he missed out. He did nothing wrong, nor did Shubman Gill as well for that matter. It was all about the combination we wanted,” Agarkar, a former India all-rounder, said, adding, “It’s just unfortunate.”
Read: India pick squad for T20 World Cup: Hardik Pandya vice captain; KL Rahul overlooked
Gill, also one of the promising Indian batters, missed the bus.
Both Singh and Gill, however, were in the list of reserves along with two pacers.
Read: Reigning champions England pick Jofra Archer for T20 World Cup title defence
The 26-year-old has been the find of the Indian Premier League. He stormed the headlines in the 2023 edition by blasting five consecutive sixes for his franchise Kolkata Knight Riders in a match that they looked to lose. He made his international debut last year against Ireland and in 15 T20s so far, he has scored 356 runs at an impressive strike rate of 176 plus. He has also played in two one-day internationals.
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Agarkar also said that India wanted to enough enough options with regard to wrist spinners.
“(Yuzvendra) Chahal, Kuldeep (Yadav) give us that. Then, we have Axar Patel, who is the allrounder, and then two wicketkeepers,” he said, adding, “He (Rinku) is in the reserves now. So, that’s how close the decision was.”
India have four spinners in the squad, including Ravindra Jadeja.
Sharma, who also spoke at the conference, re-emphasized the importance of having all-rounders such as Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dube in the squad.
“If we need Shivam Dube to bowl few overs, he will bowl. Then we have Hardik Pandya as well. All-rounders will do their role,” the 37-year-old Sharma, who led India to the final of the 50-over World Cup at home a few months ago only to lose against Australia in the title round, said.
On the spin strategy, Sharma refused to divulge saying other team captains would also be listening.
“Maybe in the first press conference in the West Indies, I’ll give more detail,” he said.
India Weekly conducted an online poll on X asking its readers about their opinion on the squad that India chose for the upcoming World Cup and there, more than 63 per cent felt the selected side lacked a balance. Only 18.2 per cent felt the balance was right and an equal number of voters were also apprehensive over Pandya’s selection.
