The announcement of India’s T20I squad for the upcoming five-match series against South Africa has triggered widespread debate among fans and analysts, with the most notable talking point being the exclusion of finisher Rinku Singh. Rinku, who recently featured in the T20I tour of Australia, has now been left out of the squad, raising questions about form, balance and selection strategy.
Why Rinku Singh missed out on India’s T20I squad for South Africa?
While Rinku made an explosive start to his India career, his numbers over the last 12 months have shown a noticeable flattening. Across his last 17 T20Is, he batted in only 11 innings, producing just one half-century and only a single other score above 30.
A series of short, single-digit cameos – often involving only a handful of balls – kept him from building consistent rhythm. Analysts note that since the home series against England in early 2025, Rinku has not had a long stay at the crease for India, while his domestic outings in the ongoing Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and recent T20 tournaments have been solid but not as explosive as his breakout phase. With competition for finishing roles intensifying, the dip weakened his case.
One of the biggest selection themes for the South Africa T20Is is India’s emphasis on multi-dimensional players. The 15-man squad includes four all-rounders – Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel and Washington Sundar – giving the team more bowling options and tactical flexibility across varied Indian pitches.
With Hardik returning from injury and set to reclaim the finisher’s role alongside Dube, the selectors have opted for Sundar to fill the No.7-8 floater-finisher slot. Sundar offers both off-spin and late-order hitting, providing dual utility that Rinku, as a pure middle-order batter, cannot replicate.
With just 15 squad spots, specialists without secondary skills were always likely to face pressure, and Rinku appears to have been edged out by India’s priority on all-round balance.
Also selectors want Rinku to play a full domestic season, rather than risk extended bench time in a series where India aim to maintain a largely settled XI. This aligns with India’s selection approach ahead of the 2026 T20 World Cup, where consistent domestic performance is being weighted heavily.
Some reports have also hinted that Rinku’s upcoming wedding, reportedly scheduled for mid-December 2025, may have influenced availability discussions. While unconfirmed officially, it is understood the player may have requested personal time – another factor that may have made selection less likely for the South Africa series.
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India’s T20I squad for the South Africa series
Suryakumar Yadav (c), Shubman Gill* (vc), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Sanju Samson (wk), Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakaravarthy, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Washington Sundar
*Note: Subject to fitness clearance from the BCCI Centre of Excellence
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