Former Indian cricket player Aakash Chopra has questioned Rinku’s removal, pointing to his stellar domestic and international career. Rinku’s recent performance and excellent statistics were highlighted by Chopra as reasons to reconsider the selection decision.
Rinku Singh has not been named in either of the Indian teams for the upcoming tour to New Zealand, which will include two Test matches, five Twenty20 Internationals, and five One-Day Internationals. Rinku was noticeably absent from the India T20I lineup when it was announced on October 6 by the Board of Control for Cricket in India. The five-match Twenty20 International series will begin in Christchurch on October 22.
Aakash Chopra’s criticism on Rinku’s treatment and selection process
In July 2026, Rinku played his final Twenty20 International match for India against Zimbabwe. He played with the team that won the T20 World Cup in 2026. Despite Rinku’s ongoing difficulties with selection, Chopra stressed that when given the opportunity, he has often performed at the international level.
In the 2026–2027 Ranji Trophy, Rinku made a strong case for Test selection with scores of 100 not out against Goa and 112 against Bihar. In 14 IPL 2026 games, he amassed 295 runs at a strike rate of 148.99, including two fifties. According to Aakash Chopra, Rinku has hit four hundreds in his last six innings of domestic cricket.
Aakash Chopra expressed his displeasure with Rinku’s treatment abroad, particularly with relation to his batting position and potential. The analyst questioned the selection process’s consistency as well as the player’s treatment after competing in the World Cup.
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Possibilities for Test cricket in the face of middle order uncertainty
Chopra expressed concerns about India’s Test middle order depth and said Rinku should be considered for the lengthier format. He emphasized that the seventh position in the batting order is still a topic of debate, despite the fact that India has strong openers in KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal, Devdutt Padikkal or Sai Sudharsan at number three, Shubman Gill at number four, Rishabh Pant at number five, and Dhruv Jurel at number six.
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