Former India opener Aakash Chopra has Questioned about Indian team management’s decision on sending Rinku Singh down the batting order during 1st T20I in India tour of South Africa in 2024.
Rinku Singh scored 11 runs off 10 deliveries while batting at No.6 as India posted 202/8 runs after being asked to bat first. The visitors bundled the Proteas out for 141 runs registering a resounding 61 run win.
While speaking in a YouTube channel ‘Aakash Chopra’ questioned whether Rinku Singh has been treated fairly.
“Are we being fair to Rinku? It’s a very important question. Why am I asking this question? You kept him in the team first, he is your original choice player.”
“He was in your team against Bangladesh and before that as well. Whenever you have sent him up the order or he has got to bat in the powerplay, he has scored runs every time,” said Chopra in the video.
He also added that Rinku Singh has risen to the occasion on most instances of him coming him at No. 4.
“He has scored a half-century every time. He has emerged as a crisis man. He scored those half-centuries at very good strike rates. So, this was that opportunity. Why don’t you send him at No. 4? What is the reason that you only send Rinku down the order, always at No. 6?” observed Chopra.
Aakash Chopra went on to explain why he thought Rinku was different from Hardik Pandya and Andre Russell.
“I am asking this question only because Rinku can finish but he is not just a finisher. This is my understanding. I feel he knows how to drive the game. He is hitting sixes but he is not someone who muscles the ball. He is not Andre Russell and he is not Hardik Pandya as well,” he noted.
Chopra recommended a swap in position for Tilak Varma and Rinku for the remainder of the series.
“He tries to score runs with timing and then he makes the most of whatever he has. I feel you could have played him at No. 4 in Durban. In fact, you could have done that in this entire series and moved Tilak Varma down because someone has to go at No. 6,” he added.
Rinku has played at No. 4 only twice in the 20 innings he has played for. It will be interesting to see where the southpaw is slotted for the remaining three T20Is.
The second match of the South Africa T20Is will be played on November 10 at St George’s Oval.
