"KKR didn't help him by not getting him to bat" - Aakash Chopra on Rinku Singh's absence from India's 2024 T20 World Cup squad
Aakash Chopra reckons Rinku Singh might have missed out on selection in India's squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup due to the limited opportunities given to him by the Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL 2024.
The selectors picked the 15-member Indian squad for the global T20 event on Tuesday, April 30. Rinku was ignored for the main squad but has been picked among the four reserves, alongside Shubman Gill, Avesh Khan and Khaleel Ahmed.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra noted that Rinku's non-selection is a massive surprise. He opined that lack of time in the middle during IPL 2024 would not have helped the KKR batter's cause.
"Rinku Singh's absence is a huge surprise. I felt he was undroppable. When we used to make the team six months back, it seemed like whenever you wrote the XI, Rinku Singh's name would be first, and after that, you would think whether Rinku and Yashasvi (Jaiswal) could be played together," he said (1:05).
"No one would have thought even once that Rinku Singh wouldn't be part of this team. Why is he not part of the team? One is the recent form. KKR didn't help him by not getting him to bat," the former India opener added.
Rinku has aggregated 123 runs at a strike rate of 150.00 in eight innings in IPL 2024. He was sent at No. 3 in KKR's last game against the Delhi Capitals but couldn't make the most of the opportunity.
"It seemed like it became a shootout between Shivam Dube and Rinku Singh" - Aakash Chopra
![Shivam Dube has excelled for CSK in IPL 2024. [P/C: iplt20.com]](https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2024/05/0f80c-17145346449951-1920.jpg?w=500)
Aakash Chopra reckons Shivam Dube might have pipped Rinku Singh to the final middle-order batter's position.
"In the end, it seemed like it became a shootout between Shivam Dube and Rinku Singh, that you should take whoever between them was hitting better and had more form. So Shivam Dube went there because he is batting that well," he said (1:40).
While noting that limited opportunities in IPL 2024 shouldn't be held against Rinku, the cricketer-turned-commentator added that the lack of bowling options in India's top-six also compromised Rinku's selection chances.
"Rinku Singh was left behind because he didn't get to bat. Him not getting to bat - can you hold it against him? Ideally not, because at times you don't get to bat, and when did IPL performances go above performances for India? You are absolutely right if you are thinking from that perspective," Chopra stated.
"The other aspect of this is that this team doesn't have all-rounders at all. Ravindra Jadeja is an all-rounder, but is he a great all-rounder in T20 cricket? The answer to that question is no. Does any of the top six batters bowl? Hardik Pandya is the only one who is bowling a little although his bowling is still not at that level. Shivam Dube doesn't bowl since the impact sub has come. So who will bowl?" the former KKR player elaborated.
Chopra concluded by saying that he genuinely feels for Rinku missing out. While acknowledging that the youngster still has a chance to feature in future World Cups, he cited VVS Laxman's example to point out that some players never get an opportunity to do so.