Indian T20I skipper Suryakumar Yadav once again chose to remain silent on the omission of cricketer Rinku Singh ahead of the South Africa T20I series. Rinku, who was not given a spot in the XI, has been dropped from the team ahead of the five-match series.
Once a regular on the Indian T20I side, Rinku Singh, the left-handed KKR batter, has been snubbed of chances in the Indian playing XI over the past year. The 28-year-old is currently playing in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and has been snubbed from the South Africa T20s.
He has featured in only one game over the last few series, as he played in the final of the Asia Cup after Hardik Pandya was ruled out of the competition due to an injury.
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“So you cannot compare an all-rounder with someone who is a finisher,” said Suryakumar Yadav
Recently, when the Indian skipper Suryakumar Yadav attended the pre-match press conference ahead of the first T20I in Cuttack, he was questioned over the lack of opportunities for Rinku Singh in the Indian T20I side.
“He is an all-rounder, so he and Hardik are the all-rounders. So you cannot compare an all-rounder with someone who is a finisher. Who? Dube is another one. And the thing is, all the batters from three to seven are capable of batting at any position. So it depends on what the batter’s entry point is. We have to be really flexible during that,” said Suryakumar Yadav in the pre-match press conference.
Suryakumar Yadav was very quick to reply that the media personnel are also well aware of the team dynamics as of now and the importance of all-rounders in the Indian playing XI under Gautam Gambhir.
“And also, in terms of the squad, before us, you already get to know what the squad will look like or not, but yes, more likely this is what the team and the squad look like. It looks good, looks strong, so I am very happy with it,” he added.
“That is what he brings to the table: his experience” – Suryakumar Yadav on Shivam Dube’s value within the XI
Suryakumar Yadav, the Indian skipper, heaped praises on Shivam Dube and mentioned how Dube’s special role with the ball helped India during the Asia Cup. He also said that Dube has played well on all big occasions.
“I think what you saw in the Asia Cup as well — when he was bowling the new ball — it opened up a lot of options, a lot of combinations for us with respect to the playing XI. That is what he brings to the table: his experience.”
“The way he has performed really well in all the matches, all the good games, all the big games — ICC events, ACC events — I think that experience will count a lot. And his presence will definitely give a good balance to the side,” he added.
Rinku Singh’s stats after being snubbed from the Indian T20I side
After being snubbed from the Indian T20I side, here is a close look at the batting stats of the Indian batter Rinku Singh. The batter made his T20I debut back in 2023 and has appeared in 35 T20I games. With 12 not-outs, he often plays in the role of a finisher.
He has scored 550 runs in his T20I career and has an average of 42.30 with a strike rate of 161.41. He has the highest score of 69* and has three half-centuries in his career. In the last ten international innings, the batter has had very limited opportunities and amassed 134 runs at an average of 16.74 and a strike rate of 128.84.
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