Former Indian cricket captain Sourav Ganguly commented on Rinku Singh’s exclusion from India’s 15-player squad for the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup, attributing it to the strategic inclusion of an additional spinner. During a press conference, Indian skipper Rohit Sharma expressed his preference for four spinners in the squad, although he did not elaborate on the strategy behind this decision.
Despite strong performances that garnered 356 runs in 15 T20Is with an impressive average of 89 and a strike rate of 176.24, Rinku was designated as a traveling reserve for the team. Reflecting on Rinku’s situation, Ganguly offered words of support and optimism, stating, “Rinku missed out because they opted for another spinner. However, he’s on standby, and there’s still much ahead in his career. He shouldn’t be disheartened.”
Further, Ganguly lauded the team selection, praising the management and Rohit Sharma for assembling a robust lineup for the tournament. “This is one of the strongest and fairest teams I’ve seen. The selectors and Rohit have done an excellent job. It’s a solid, well-rounded team,” he elaborated.
The decision to omit Rinku was described by BCCI chief selector Ajit Agarkar as one of the most challenging choices faced by the selectors. Agarkar explained, “It was a tough discussion. Rinku and Shubman Gill have both performed well; it’s purely about the team’s composition given the uncertain playing conditions. We’ve decided to add a couple more spinners to ensure we have ample options. Unfortunately, it’s not Rinku’s fault; the selection dynamics just didn’t favor him this time. You can only choose 15 players in the end.”
