India's T20 World Cup 2024 Squad: 3 Reasons why Rinku Singh left out of the main squad

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Tuesday, April 30 announced India's squad for the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024. The 15-man squad led by Rohit Sharma will feature experienced campaigners like Virat Kohli, Ravindra Jadeja and Jasprit Bumrah. While some players managed to make the cut, surprisingly some surefire picks were left out of the squad.

With the talent India currently has and players making their mark in the Indian Premier League (IPL), keeping the sample size to 15 was not an easy task for the selectors. The likes of KL Rahul, Ravi Bishnoi, and Shubman Gill are among the players who have failed to find a spot in the main squad. Another notable player in this unlucky list is Kolkata Kingt Riders’ (KKR) Rinku Singh.

The left-hander earned the tag of ‘finisher’ with his remarkable knocks for KKR in the 2023 season. He has been the franchise's most reliable batter in the middle order. And guess what? His heroics earned him a place in the national T20 squad and he did not fail to impress. Everyone expected him to make it to the T20 World Cup squad, but unfortunately, he was selected as a reserve player.

Here are the 3 reasons why Rinku Singh was left out of the main squad for the T20 World Cup:

3. Couldn't make a mark so far in 2024 IPL

Rinku Singh had a sensational campaign in the 2023 IPL, where he smashed 474 runs in 14 matches. The southpaw was majorly batting lower down the order and he was tasked with the role of finisher. However, his performance in the ongoing season has not managed to hog the limelight.

With the KKR openers showing sparkling form and the middle-order batters consistent, Rinku didn't get many opportunities to show his mettle. He has so far scored only 123 runs in eight innings at a strike rate of 150. In their previous match against Delhi Capitals, Rinku batter at No.3, but he was dismissed for just 11 runs off as many deliveries.

2. Emergence of Shivam Dube

Ever since Shivam Dube joined Chennai Super Kings (CSK), he has changed his game and looked very threatening to the opposition. In fact, he is one of the most consistent and reliable batter in CSK’s middle order. Moreover, he managed to grab the limelight before the squad selection with some impressive knocks.

Dube can make a significant impact in the middle overs with his power-hitting and can also provide a good finish for the team. The fact that he can also chip in a few overs has led to Rinku being overlooked by the selectors.

1. Hardik to play finishers role

There has been a lot of speculation about the selection of Hardik Pandya. But the new Mumbai Indians (MI) skipper will play as a vice-captain of the team in the marquee event. Although the all-rounder hasn't excelled in any department in the ongoing IPL, the management retains faith in Hardik's ability to step up to the big occasion.

With Rishabh Pant and Shivam Dube earning a spot, India have enough options for big-hitters in the team. Given the circumstances, Hardik will bat lower down the order and will mainly focus on providing the finishing touch to the team.