Rinku Singh flown to home, Super 8 appearance in doubt
Indian media reports suggest his father has been hospitalised, prompting the batter to leave the team camp to be with his family.
KATHMANDU: India’s middle-order batter Rinku Singh has returned home due to a family emergency, casting serious doubt over his availability for India’s crucial Super 8 match against Zimbabwe’s national cricket team in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.
Rinku was absent from India’s training session at M. A. Chidambaram Stadium on Tuesday evening, while the rest of the squad took part in full practice.
Indian media reports suggest his father has been hospitalised, prompting the batter to leave the team camp to be with his family.
The timing of Rinku’s departure adds to India’s concerns, as the left-hander has endured a difficult tournament so far.
His returns across the competition have been modest, with single-digit scores in multiple group-stage matches, followed by a duck in the heavy defeat against South Africa national cricket team in Ahmedabad.
India suffered a 76-run loss in that encounter, putting added pressure on their Super 8 fixtures.
Team Management Weighs Replacement Options
Should Rinku fail to recover in time for the Zimbabwe game, India are expected to consider Sanju Samson or Axar Patel as potential replacements in the XI.
Bringing Samson into the side would likely force a reshuffle of the batting order, given his preference for the top and middle order.
Axar, on the other hand, offers balance with both bat and ball and can comfortably slot in at No. 8 — the position Rinku occupied in the previous match.
Big Tests Ahead for India
After facing Zimbabwe, India are scheduled to play their final Super 8 fixture against the West Indies national cricket team in Kolkata.
A place in the semifinals would see India travel to Mumbai, while a potential clash with Pakistan national cricket team could take the team to Colombo.
For now, the focus remains on Rinku’s personal situation, with team officials expected to provide an update on his availability closer to match day.
India’s management will hope the batter’s family situation stabilises soon, but are preparing contingency plans as the knockout race tightens.
