May 2nd 2024.
In a recent press conference in Mumbai, Chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar opened up about the tough decision to leave Rinku Singh out of India's T20 World Cup squad. Agarkar expressed that it was not an easy call to make, as Singh has been in top form and has not done anything wrong. However, it ultimately came down to finding the right balance and combinations within the team.
Singh, who is known for his big-hitting abilities for the Kolkata Knight Riders, was not able to secure a spot in the 15-member squad, with the team management choosing Chennai Super Kings' Shivam Dube over him. This decision sparked a lot of discussion and controversy on social media, as Singh's exclusion was unexpected due to his impressive record in T20Is for India, with 356 runs at an average of 89 and a strike rate of 176.24.
Agarkar acknowledged that it was a difficult decision, not only for Singh but also for other players like Shubman Gill, who also missed out on a spot in the squad. He explained that the inclusion of two wrist spinners was to provide captain Rohit Sharma with more options, and the team also needed an extra bowler. Singh was named in the reserves, showing how close he came to being in the final 15. However, at the end of the day, only 15 players could make it to the squad.
Despite not having a great IPL season this year, with limited opportunities to bat, Singh was still named in the reserves. Last year, he had a fantastic run in the IPL, leading to his call-up to the Indian T20I team. However, this season he has only managed to score 123 runs in nine matches, with a strike rate of 150.00. In comparison, Gill, who is leading Gujarat Titans this year, has scored 320 runs in 10 matches at a strike rate of 140.97. The left-handed Yashasvi Jaiswal was also preferred over Gill for a spot in the squad.
Abhishek Nayar, the head of KKR Academy and assistant coach of the franchise, defended Singh's form and stated that he had not been given enough opportunities to showcase his skills. Nayar played a significant role in shaping Singh's career, especially during his recovery from an ACL injury, and also worked on improving his hitting abilities. He mentioned that Singh's role as a finisher in the team does not always reflect in his numbers, as he only gets to face 8-10 balls in a game. However, it is crucial to look at how well he performs in those few balls rather than just the number of runs he scores.
Nayar, who has become a prominent coach in domestic and franchise cricket, also pointed out that Singh's strike rate is impressive when compared to the number of balls he has faced in his innings. He reiterated that Singh's form was not a problem and that he has been performing well for the team, even if the numbers do not always reflect it.
After the press conference, India captain Rohit Sharma joined the Mumbai Indians squad for their pre-match training session. During a group discussion, Rohit spotted Singh approaching him and moved away from the group to have a one-on-one conversation with him. While the content of their discussion is unknown, it shows that Rohit is supportive of his fellow players, even those who did not make it to the final squad.
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