Rinku To Play As Opener vs Bangladesh? Ex-Selector's Stunning Suggestion

Former Indian cricket team selector Saba Karim believes that Rinku Singh will be a good option to open the batting for India along with Abhishek Sharma in the upcoming T20I series against Bangladesh. In a recent interaction, Karim explained that Rinku does not get much time to show off his talent and his aggressive playing style will complete Abhishek. Rinku typically bats at No. 6 or 7 for India but Karim added that he should face more balls in order to add more value to the team.

"There is a strong possibility that we may see Rinku Singh along with Abhishek Sharma (open for India). Whatever opportunities Rinku has had so far in this side, he comes in number six or seven, and he hardly gets any balls to get himself in... Rinku, mind you, is quite a complete player. If he gets more opportunities, if he gets more deliveries to face, he can add more value to the side. So there is a strong possibility of having that combination," Saba Karim said on JioCinema.

India's fastest bowler Mayank Yadav on Saturday got fast-tracked into the Indian team for the three-match T20I series against Bangladesh after completing his near five-month rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy.

The team set to be led by Suryakumar Yadav only has one more senior -- former T20I skipper Hardik Pandya -- in its ranks as all the recent IPL performers have been selected.

Mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy, who plays for Kolkata Knight Riders, got a recall after three years since his nightmarish T20 World Cup campaign in the UAE in 2021.

Nitish Reddy, the back-up seamer all-rounder after Pandya and Shivam Dube, also got a look-in after he missed out on the recent Zimbabwe tour owing to an injury.

The talented players like Riyan Parag, Abhishek Sharma, Harshit Rana have all found a place in the 15-man squad that has Jitesh Sharma as the second keeper behind Sanju Samson.

The biggest surprise is certainly the inclusion of Mayank, who consistently bowled mid-150 clicks for Lucknow Super Giants during three of his four IPL matches including back-to-back Player of the Match awards which garnered global attention.

India's squad for Bangladesh T20Is: Suryakumar Yadav (C), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (wk), Rinku Singh, Hardik Pandya, Riyan Parag, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Shivam Dube, Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Varun Chakaravarthy, JItesh Sharma (wk), Arshdeep Singh, Harshit Rana, Mayank Yadav.

(With PTI inputs)