3 reasons why India picking Rinku Singh for 2026 T20 World Cup is the wrong move

The BCCI on Saturday, December 20, announced India’s 15-member squad for the 2026 T20 World Cup, scheduled to begin on February 7. The marquee tournament will be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka.

While Suryakumar Yadav will continue as captain, in a major development, vice-captain Shubman Gill has been dropped, with all-rounder Axar Patel named as his deputy. Additionally, following a brilliant performance in the 2025 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, where he led Jharkhand to glory, Ishan Kishan has made his way back into the squad, while Jitesh Sharma has been left out.

Uttar Pradesh batter Rinku Singh has also been included after being sidelined for India’s recently concluded five-match series against South Africa, which the Men in Blue won 3-1.

With Rinku once again earning the team’s trust and returning to the World Cup squad, here are three reasons why picking the 28-year-old is the wrong move.

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#1 Limited recent experience at the international level

Rinku Singh made his T20I debut for India against Ireland in August 2023 and has since featured in 35 matches in the format, scoring 550 runs at an average of 42.30 and a strike rate of 161.76, including three half-centuries.

However, in recent times, the 28-year-old has often been left out of the team or remained on the bench when selected. With India’s international schedule for the year already completed, Rinku played just five T20Is in 2025, batting in three innings and scoring 43 runs at an average of 21.50 with a strike rate of 130.30. One of these innings came in the 2025 Asia Cup final, where he faced a single ball and hit the winning runs.

Additionally, he was not picked for India’s recent series against South Africa, which further raises questions about his form and readiness. If he does not get any game time in the upcoming T20I series against New Zealand in January, throwing him directly into World Cup matches could backfire.

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#2 Middle-order role already well-covered

Another reason why including Rinku Singh could be considered the wrong move is the abundance of all-rounders in India’s 15-member squad, which makes it highly unlikely that the southpaw will get regular playing time.

In the middle order, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, and Axar Patel are almost certain to feature. On top of that, India’s strategy of regularly including all-rounders like Shivam Dube, along with giving Washington Sundar opportunities based on pitch conditions, further limits Rinku’s chances, meaning he could spend much of the tournament on the bench.

With the Men in Blue already boasting a strong middle-order setup, Rinku’s inclusion creates role overlap rather than addressing a specific need. Ishan Kishan is also part of the squad as the second wicketkeeper, serving as a backup opener while being capable of batting in the middle order.

Instead of selecting Rinku, the management could have opted for a specialist bowler or a versatile all-rounder, which would have added more balance to the squad.

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#3 Inconsistent recent form

As Rinku Singh was dropped from the South Africa series, he turned out for Uttar Pradesh in the 2025 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT). However, the southpaw failed to deliver consistent performances, scoring 172 runs in seven innings at a modest average of 24.57 and a strike rate of 135.43, including a solitary fifty.

Although he performed well in the UP T20 League earlier this year, amassing 372 runs in nine innings at an impressive average of 62.00 and a strike rate of 178.85, this level of competition is not comparable to the SMAT or the IPL.

In the 2025 IPL season, while playing for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), he struggled, scoring 206 runs in 11 innings at an average of 29.42 and a strike rate of 153.73, with a highest score of 38 not out, highlighting his inconsistent recent form.

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Edited by Dev Sharma