Netizens mercilessly troll BCCI after T20 World Cup blooper

Even “Justice for Rinku Singh” became one of the top trends on X after Team India’s national selectors dropped a T20 World Cup shocker on Tuesday as Ajit Agarkar and Co. left the explosive southpaw out of the squad for the elite ICC event.

Rinku Singh bats in the middle order and has done a fabulous job in finishing games for both his IPL franchise and the Indian Cricket Team in the limited opportunities he has had with the national team.

The 26-year-old was widely tipped to take over MS Dhoni’s “finisher” role in India’s T20 World Cup line-up but failed to sneak into the 15-men squad as India’s selectors went with time-tested performers like Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya and Ravindra Jadeja.

Rinku Singh’s omission from India’s T20 World Cup squad took many former cricketers, who have been demanding his selection in the national team, by surprise, with former Australian captain Aaron Finch stating that he could have made the difference in the prestigious tournament.

“He has been in international cricket for a short span, but he might have made a difference. Shivam Dube probably has jumped in for the finishing role in that middle order as a power-hitter. So, I was really surprised when Rinku wasn’t in the 15-member squad,” Aaron Finch told Star Sports.

In 15 games for Team India, Rinku Singh has made 356 runs at a stunning average of 89 and an equally impressive strike-rate of 176.23. His 356 runs include two fifties and a top score of unbeaten 69.

Speaking about his Indian Premier League (IPL) numbers, Rinku Singh has scored 848 runs in 40 matches in the competition within his short but highly impactful career.

While his overall average in the IPL stands at 32.62, it is his strike-rate (143.24), that has often hogged the limelight.

But in the 2024 edition of the IPL, Rinku Singh hasn’t been at his complete best, averaging 20.50 in the nine matches he has played for the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) so far, which seems to have hurt his chances of making it to the Indian cricket team for the T20 World Cup.

1983 World Cup winner Sunil Gavaskar reckoned that the selectors would have decided against picking him because of his under-par showing in the 2024 IPL.

“Maybe his form in this particular edition of the IPL hasn’t been great. He hasn’t had that many opportunities, maybe that’s the reason why they’ve (selectors) not picked him,” Sunil Gavaskar told Sports Today.

As expected the national selectors picked Rohit Sharma as the captain of the side for the prestigious ICC event while the out-of-form Hardik Pandya was selected as his deputy.

Ahead of the tournament, there was much speculation that Hardik Pandya could lose his place in the 15-member squad for the marquee competition due to his struggles with form in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) but the Ajit Agarkar-led national selection committee showed faith in his abilities.

Perhaps the one reason that may have clicked in Hardik Pandya’s favor is the TINA factor. There is no alternative (TINA) to the kind of ability that Hardik Pandya possesses – after all, he’s the lone genuine fast-bowling all-rounder in the team.

Veteran Karnataka batter KL Rahul was also dropped despite having a fine IPL. However, one could argue that he’s got fair chances at the top level and it was time Rajasthan Royals (RR) skipper Sanju Samson was allowed to test his prowess in a tournament like the T20 World Cup. Alongside Rishabh Pant, who has been included in the Rohit Sharma-led squad as the first-choice wicketkeeper-batter, Sanju Samson has been rewarded for his rich vein of form in the IPL.

In addition to that, Sanju Samson’s teammate at the Rajasthan Royals, Yuzvendra Chahal made a Team India return after spending several months on the sidelines after losing favor with the national selectors.

Moreover, Ajit Agarkar and Co. ended months of speculation over talismanic batter Virat Kohli’s spot in Team India for the T20 World Cup with the Delhi-born cricketer expected to open the innings with skipper Rohit Sharma in the biannual competition.

Also, the in-form Shivam Dube, who has been making waves in the IPL because of his blistering batting performances was selected for a middle-order role in the side.

Among the spinners, left-armer Axar Patel was favored over leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi while an under-performing Mohammed Siraj was named to partner Jasprit Bumrah in the fast bowling department.