Shubman Gill talks to Hardik Pandya (Photo: Francois Nel/Getty Images) Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan has offered a clear explanation for the surprise exclusion of Rinku Singh from India’s T20I squad for the upcoming five-match series against South Africa. Just months ago, Rinku grabbed the headlines for calmly hitting the winning boundary in the Asia Cup final against Pakistan. He was also part of the Indian squad that toured Australia for the T20I series, but persistent rain in Brisbane meant he never got a chance to bat in the only match he was selected for.
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Despite those credentials, the selectors opted for Washington Sundar instead, signaling a clear inclination by head coach Gautam Gambhir and captain Suryakumar Yadav to bolster India’s all-round options. Pathan said Rinku’s omission was inevitable the moment Hardik Pandya returned from injury. “Hardik Pandya is back, so Rinku Singh is out. It’s unfortunate but expected. This group makes up 90-95 percent of the squad that India will take to the 2026 T20 World Cup,” Pathan said on his YouTube channel.
Hardik will decide the fate of India’s World Cup
Pathan also gave a detailed insight into India’s T20 schedule heading into the next World Cup. He pointed out that there is still a need to clarify the pace combination, the all-round group and the three front-line spin options – Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakravarthy. According to him, India’s progress at the global event will revolve around one man. “Hardik Pandya’s role will be most important for India in the T20s and the World Cup. He and the second player alongside him will be the biggest influences on whether India lift the trophy again,” he said.
