Rinku Singh out of T20 World Cup 2026 reckoning? Indian squad for SA series hints at things to come

Two months ago, Rinku Singh made the winning runs to win the title at the 2025 Asian Cup. It was “God’s plan”, as Rinku often says. He hadn’t played a single match for the Indian team in the T20 tournament, and if not for Hardik Pandya’s injury, he wouldn’t have even played. That’s how fickle cricket can be.

But things don’t always go the way you want them to. Ahead of the India vs South Africa T20I series, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced a 15-man squad for the 5-match series. And Rinku is not included. He was part of the Australian team, but didn’t even bat once. And now Rinku has been abandoned.

Considered a mainstay as a designated finisher, the left-handed hitter has slowly been sidelined as India opt for all-rounders under head coach Gautam Gambhir. One has to wonder if this means Rinku is out of the equation for the 2026 T20 World Cup.

No Rinku Singh at T20 World Cup 2026?

Including the India vs South Africa T20I series, the Men in Blue are scheduled to play 10 matches before taking on the United States on February 7 at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. Now, Rinku has already been out of five of those matches. But it can be assumed that the Indian team will not be much different from what it is now.

The New Zealand series, which will be India’s warm-up for the T20 World Cup, might offer a clearer preview, but it doesn’t look great for Rinku’s chances. As mentioned above, Gambhir has an affinity for all-rounders, and India chose four of them: Hardik Pandya, Washington Sundar, Axar Patel and Shivam Dube. If Rinku were to join the team, it would be at the expense of one of them.

In truth, only one of Washington and Dubé can make a mark, but both offer more than Rinku. Since the T20 World Cup will be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, you need good spinners and good hitters against spin. Washington and Dubé check these boxes. Plus, they have another skill. Jitesh Sharma is also a hindrance. Like Rinku, he is a designated finisher. However, he offers more as a wicketkeeper.

The door to the T20 World Cup has probably closed on Rinku, and it’s not his fault or anyone else’s, but that’s the way things go sometimes.

Indian squad for South African T20I series

Suryakumar Yadav (c), Shubman Gill (vc, subject to aptitude)Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Jitesh Sharma (week), Sanju Samson (week), Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakaravarthy, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Washington Sunda