The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) selectors have called back their left-handed batter, Rinku Singh, for the second round of the ongoing Duleep Trophy 2024, as the reports have claimed that the Aligarh-born will be playing for India B squad for the remainder of the tournament.
India has already announced their 16-member squad for the first of the two-match red-ball series against Bangladesh, which starts on September 19 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. Both of the games of the second round will be played at Anantapur, just a week before the opening game.
Ten of the 16 members from the first round of the Duleep Trophy will be part of the Bangladesh series, which rules their participation out of the remainder of the domestic tournament, and that brings Rinku Singh to contention, who was ignored the first round of the domestic tournament.
Rinku Singh to play under Abhimanyu Easwaran In Duleep Trophy 2024
When the youngster was asked if he was frustrated with his decision to be omitted from the first round of the tournament, Rinku Singh displayed honesty, admitting his poor performance in the last edition of the Ranji Trophy in the 2023-24 season. He smashed 128 runs in three games at an average of 42.66, celebrating just a solitary half-century.
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When it comes to the shortest format of the game, the 26-year-old has been a regular member of the Indian team, as he has smashed 418 runs in 17 innings at an average of nearly 60 and a strike rate of around 175, with the help of a couple of half-centuries with the best score of unbeaten 69-runs.
Despite all these records, he wasn’t considered for the recently concluded T20 World Cup 2024 in the West Indies and the United States of America. Overall, the first-class record of Rinku Singh has been quite decent, as he has grabbed 3173 runs in 69 innings at an average of 54.70 and a strike rate of over 70, thanks to his seven centuries and 20 half-centuries with the best score of unbeaten 169-runs.
India B made a great start in the first round of the tournament, as they nailed Shubman Gill-led India A side for 76 runs. Musheer Khan was the standout performer with the bat in the first innings as he recorded an 181-run knock in a partnership of 205 runs for the eighth wicket with Navdeep Saini (56).
When they were under pressure in the second innings, Rishabh Pant grilled a 61-run knock in 47 balls with a strike rate of nearly 130, while Sarfaraz Khan smacked 46 runs in 36 deliveries with the help of seven boundaries and one six. The inclusion of Rinku Singh in the absence of Pant will be quite vital for the India B side, as they look to remain unbeaten in the tournament.
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“Musheer and Saini played well. Seeing that there’s not much happening from the wicket, we could’ve gone to the bouncer option earlier to Saini. Looking back, you can point to different things. But out there, we went for the option we felt was the best.” Gill expressed at the end of the first game.
“The intensity with which we bowled in the second innings was commendable. Until about lunchtime, we were talking that if we get a 100-run partnership, we could’ve got the target.” The India-A captain remarked.
Rinku Singh will be in action for India B during their game against Ruturaj Gaikwad-led India C side, starting on September 12, at the ACA ADCA ground in Anantapur.