"Are we being fair to Rinku?" - Aakash Chopra questions Rinku Singh's batting position in IND vs SA 2024 1st T20I
Aakash Chopra has questioned whether Team India are treating Rinku Singh fairly. He opined that the southpaw should have batted at No. 4 in the first T20I against South Africa on Friday, November 8, in Durban.
Rinku scored 11 runs off 10 deliveries at No. 6 as India posted 202/8 after being asked to bat first. The Men in Blue then bundled the Proteas out for 141 to register a resounding 61-run win.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel 'Aakash Chopra,' the former India opener questioned whether Rinku has been treated justly.
"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," he said (7:10).
Chopra noted that the Uttar Pradesh batter has always been among runs whenever he has got more overs to play.
"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?" he observed.
Rinku Singh has scored 490 runs at a strike rate of 173.14 in 20 T20I innings. He has batted only twice at No. 4 and has played eight innings at No. 5 and No. 6 apiece.
"He is not Andre Russell and he is not Hardik Pandya as well" - Aakash Chopra on Rinku Singh
![Rinku Singh has struck 30 sixes in 20 T20I innings. [P/C: BCCI]](https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2024/11/573f9-17311284289803-1920.jpg?w=500)
Aakash Chopra acknowledged that Rinku Singh is a capable finisher and can play the big shots. However, he added that the 27-year-old is not a power-hitter like Andre Russell and Hardik Pandya.
"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 said (7:50) in the same video.
The cricketer-turned-commentator added that Tilak Varma could have been moved to No. 6 to accommodate Rinku at No. 4.
"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," Chopra observed.
Chopra opined that Hardik could have alternatively batted at No. 6, with Tilak moving to No. 5. He concluded by saying that Rinku is not being given enough opportunities where he deserves and that the Indian team management is not being fair to him.