Rinku Singh has returned home due to a family emergency.
India batter Rinku Singh has returned home due to a family emergency ahead of the must-win T20 World Cup 2026 clash against Zimbabwe. According to sources, his father is unwell, so the Indian player has gone to see him.
Initially, a few reports confirmed that Rinku was a major absentee when the team assembled for practice at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, where other players turned up for the session. Soon, the reason for his unavailability was reported, which cleared the air around his absence from the nets.
There’s no confirmation whether Rinku Singh will be available for India’s next game against the Chevrons on Thursday (February 26). However, a few reports suggest that he might return in time, even though uncertainty remains, with more details expected by tomorrow.
Nevertheless, this update is a massive concern for the Men in Blue, who can’t afford more hiccups in the ongoing T20 World Cup 2026. Following their heavy defeat against South Africa, coupled with the West Indies’ thumping victory over Zimbabwe yesterday, India will need to win their remaining two Super 8 games, with focus also on net run rate, which currently stands at -3.800.
Rinku Singh hasn’t been at his best at the T20 World Cup 2026, where he has scored 24 runs at an average of 8 and a strike rate of 82.75 in five innings, including a best of 11*. He has faced only 29 balls in the tournament, with all outings coming at No.6 or below.
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Rinku didn’t start the campaign on a high note, registering scores of 6 and 1 against USA and Namibia, respectively, in the initial two innings. Then, he played a useful cameo against Pakistan in Colombo before adding another six against Netherlands in Ahmedabad.
The southpaw again failed to make an impact against the Proteas, getting out on a 2-ball duck to leave India reeling. His performances have been below par, and he has twice failed to put on a partnership when India needed it most.
Despite his minimal impact, Rinku was expected to keep his place in the XI, given his superior pace-hitting abilities and the lack of genuine batters in this role. For now, India will hope he is available for selection against Zimbabwe, who have a decent pace attack led by Blessing Muzarabani.
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