Ajit Agarkar breaks silence behind Rinku Singh’s exclusion from India’s 2024 T20 World Cup team

On Tuesday the selectors headed by Ajit Agarkar sat down to announce the team for the ICC T20 World Cup 2024. One of the most notable absentees from the team was none other than young batter Rinku Singh. 

The 26-year-old wasn’t included in the main squad for the upcoming main event instead just being picked in the reserves. Rinku Singh was long thought to be the outright favourite to make it to the Indian team for the huge event in the West Indies and the USA. 

On Thursday, Rohit Sharma and Ajit Agarkar sat down to address the media. The question invariably turned towards the exclusion of Rinku Singh to which the former Indian pacer broke his silence. 

Ajit Agarkar has his say on Rinku Singh being overlooked 

With the focus on the Indian team selection and the criticism faced by the selectors, Ajit Agarkar was in the line of fire. When asked to throw light on the omission of Rinku Singh, the Indian selector finally broke his silence. 

“He has done nothing wrong, even Shubman Gill. There are a couple of wrist spinners in the team to give Rohit more options. Similar case for Axar who is a batting all-rounder. We thought to have another bowling option would be handy. It was tough on him but at the end of the day we had to pick the team”

Meanwhile, former Indian skipper Kris Srikkanth was aghast at Rinku Singh being left out of the main squad. The former selector while speaking on his YouTube channel said “He has played match-winning knocks in South Africa. Remember the game against Afghanistan, in which Rohit scored a 100? India were 22/4 from there they scored 212, Rinku played a crucial knock”

The former India batter also said “he has given his all whenever he has played for India. This is rubbish, rubbish selection. Why do you need four spinners? All of them have to go? You have made the selection to please a few people and you have made Rinku Singh a scapegoat” 

While there is a massive outpouring of support for Rinku Singh, the batter himself hasn’t made a comment. His IPL 2024 numbers too haven’t been great considering that he hasn’t had many chances to bat this year as he has been slotted lower down the order.  -