New Delhi: Former India opener and chief selector Krishnamachari Srikkanth said that left-handed aggressive batsman Rinku Singh should be included in the 15-member Indian squad for the upcoming men’s T20 World Cup.
Rinku came into the limelight with five sixes off the last five balls of Kolkata Knight Riders’ innings against Gujarat Titans in IPL 2023. In the IPL, he has consistently won the hearts of the fans with his finishing touch.
Not only this, due to his strong performance last season, he made his T20 debut for India at the end of the year and scored 356 runs in 15 matches, out of which he remained unbeaten in seven matches at a strike rate of 176.23.
KKR’s top order has done the bulk of the scoring for the team so far in IPL 2024. Rinku has not got much time to bat, scoring 112 runs in eight matches at a strike-rate of 157.74.
Srikkanth was the chief selector of India’s 2011 World Cup-winning team. “Rinku Singh is one of my 15 players. He has not got many chances to bat in the IPL, but if you look at his international track record, it is amazing,” he said in the Ticket to World Cup episode of Star Sports Press Room show.
Former Australia batsman Matthew Hayden believes that the IPL has given a chance to many young Indian players to showcase their potential and they are now being talked about in the selection race for the upcoming men’s T20 World Cup.
India, winners of the 2007 edition, will begin their men’s T20 World Cup campaign against Ireland on June 5 at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York. They have been placed in Group A along with Pakistan, Canada and tournament co-hosts USA.
