“Who can do that better than Rinku Singh?” - Former spinner backs southpaw’s inclusion in India’s 2026 T20 World Cup squad

Former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has backed the inclusion of Rinku Singh in the 2026 T20 World Cup squad. The 15-member squad for the marquee event, scheduled to start on February 7, was announced on Saturday, December 20.

The southpaw was recently sidelined from the T20I series against South Africa but has now been included for the World Cup. Reacting to the decision to include the 28-year-old, Ashwin noted that with Sanju Samson locked at the top of the order, India needed a player who could hit effectively against fast bowlers alongside Hardik Pandya, and this is where Rinku Singh fits in. Ashwin said [via his YouTube channel]:

“If Sanju Samson at the top of the order is locked in for you, and Ishan Kishan as the backup wicketkeeper is also locked in, then what is left? You need a hitter against fast bowlers to go along with Hardik. And who can do that better than Rinku Singh? Because when you compare Jitesh Sharma and Rinku Singh, I’ve gone a bit deeper into the numbers." "People can go and check. Against spin, Jitesh Sharma is a monster hitter, but against fast bowling and towards the end of the innings, Rinku Singh has great numbers, along with pedigree and experience. That’s why they’ve gone back to Rinku Singh," he added.

Rinku Singh has played 35 T20Is, scoring 550 runs at an average of 42.30 with a strike rate of 161.76, including three half-centuries.

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“We might be on the verge of something special at home” - R Ashwin calls India firm favourites for the 2026 T20 World Cup

In the same video, Ravichandran Ashwin noted that India, set to co-host the 2026 T20 World Cup alongside Sri Lanka, are firm favourites. Looking at the way the team is playing, he said the Men in Blue could achieve something special at home:

“I have another feeling that with this squad and the way they are playing cricket, it will come down to the day. I think India are firm, firm favourites. The way the squad has been picked, and seeing that other teams are not picking Varun Chakaravarthy, I’m ending up feeling that India will go in not only as firm favourites, it will take India having a really bad day and a poor start to the tournament for them to face any sort of trouble. I get the feeling that we might be on the verge of something special at home once again. There is a slight concern about Surya’s form, but I hope he really sorts it out over a period of time.”

The Men in Blue will enter the competition as defending champions, having clinched the 2024 edition under the captaincy of Rohit Sharma.

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Edited by Dev Sharma