The announcement of Rinku’s exclusion from the T20 World Cup 2024 squad took his father, Khanchandra Singh, by surprise. He shared that the family had prepared for celebrations with fireworks and sweets, anticipating Rinku’s inclusion.
Khanchandra revealed Rinku’s disappointment upon not making the 15-man roster, as he reached out to family members to express his emotions.
“We had high hopes for his selection. We even bought sweets and fireworks, expecting him to be in the eleven. He’s certainly disheartened. He spoke to his mother, mentioning that although he’s not among the initial 15, he’s in the extended 18 and will be part of the T20 World Cup,” Khanchandra remarked.
Rinku, renowned for his performances with the Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL, has been a standout for the Indian team. With impressive stats from 15 T20Is, the Uttar Pradesh cricketer boasts 356 runs at a stunning average of 89 and a remarkable strike rate of 176.23.
His unbeaten 68 off 38 balls and 69 off 39 balls against South Africa and Afghanistan respectively underscore his prowess, particularly in the lower batting order.
The India squad for the tournament includes Rohit Sharma (c), Hardik Pandya (vc), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant (wk), Sanju Samson (wk), Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, and Mohammed Siraj, with Shubman Gill, Rinku Singh, Khaleel Ahmed, and Avesh Khan listed as reserves.