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Rinku Singh’s spot in India’s Asia Cup squad is reportedly doubtful, as selectors could favor ‘multi-dimensional’ players like Shivam Dube, or Test captain Shubman Gill.
Shubman Gill is being touted as the next T20I captain (Picture credit: AFP)
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) star Rinku Singh’s place in India’s 2025 Asia Cup squad isn’t guaranteed and likely to face heavy scrutiny from the national selectors, according to a report by news agency PTI.
The report doesn’t say that Rinku would be left out completely, but cites his dip in game-time and form over the past year to explain that he could be used to make way for someone like Shubman Gill. It is also conjectured that the team could look for ‘multi-dimensional’ players like Jitesh Sharma (who can keep wickets) and Shivam Dube (who can bowl a bit) to play the finisher’s role if Rinku is not picked.
Until 2023, Rinku was among the best lower-order batters in the IPL. He struck 474 runs at a strike-rate of just under 150 in that season, allowing him to be fast-tracked into the T20I and ODI sides as a finisher, where his performances continued to be good. As KKR’s top-order shone in 2024, his game time reduced and he was simultaneously overlooked in the main squad for the 2024 T20 World Cup, leading to a fall in his stocks.
His form in IPL 2025, after becoming KKR’s most expensive retention, was better than 2024 but not eye-catching: 206 runs at a strike-rate of 153.73.
“We often hear people saying, one should pick so and so but no one would be able to definitively tell us ‘in place of whom’? Shreyas Iyer has 600 runs at a strike-rate of 180 but he bats in top four. Where is the place for him. Even as you include Shubman as he is flavour of the season, where do you cut corners,” a former national selector told the agency in the report.
“You can’t disturb your top five right now and also pick Shubman. And if you pick Shubman now, obviously the Test captain and IPL team captain won’t sit out. So where do you make the compromise? I only see Rinku’s spot being iffy as he isn’t required as much some of the top order batters. And mind it, we aren’t even talking about Jaiswal,” the former selector added.
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A team of reporters, writers and editors brings you news, analyses, features, live scores, results, stats and everything that’s cricket from all over the globe. Follow @cricketnext
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