The first round of the Duleep Trophy which is scheduled to be played on September 5, in a four-day match. The tournament will also kickstart India's domestic season.
The Board of Cricket Control in India (BCCI) had asked Indian international players to make themselves available for the tournament as well, ahead of the Bangladesh Test series starting on September 19.
While the BCCI had announced squads for the Duleep Trophy, with Shubman Gill, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shreyas Iyer, and Abhimanyu Easwaran set to captain the four teams.
While the squads for each for the four teams had a mix of both experienced players and internationals, the exclusion of Rinku Singh from all the squads was notable.
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Should Rinku Singh have been selected in the Duleep Trophy squad?
The Indian international batter Rinku Singh, who came into the limelight after his explosive performances as a finisher for the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the Indian Premier League (IPL), has recently found himself in the wrong end of batting form.
Additionally, he was excluded and not selected in any of the four Duleep Trophy squads, which features some star players from both the domestic and international circuit.
When asked in an interview about his exclusion from the Duleep Trophy, during an interview with Sports Today, Rinku accepted responsibility, saying that he did not deserve the selection.
"I didn't perform that well [in the domestic season]. I didn't play as many matches in the Ranji Trophy, I played 2-3 matches. I wasn't selected because I didn't do well enough," he said.
In the 2023 Ranji Trophy season, he batted in just three innings, where he scored 128 runs, at an average of 42.66, including one fifty, and due to his lack of game time recently in the red-ball format, might also have been a reason for the selectors ignoring him in the Duleep Trophy squads.
However, he remained optimistic that he could feature in the third round of the competition, starting on September 19, which will see several players leave for national duty, as it coincides with the start of India's two-match Test series against Bangladesh as well.
"Hopefully my name might be there for the next few games," he added.
Rinku, who did not make it to the main squad of the T20 World Cup 2024 winning team, was nevertheless, part of the reserves. He is likely to get more chances now, with the retirement of some key players.
When asked if he is worried about being perceived as a T20 specialist, which might prevent his selection from the ODI and Test squads, Rinku said that he was not worried, adding that he is happy to represent India in any form possible.
"No worries, I am happy with whatever chances I am getting. When I will be selected for ODIs or Tests, it will be a huge deal for me. Whatever I am getting to play right now, I am playing," Rinku replied.
How has Rinku Singh performed in Ranji Trophy and first-class domestic cricket?
Contrary to the public's perceptions of Rinku Singh as a T20 specialist, he has an impressive record in the domestic red-ball cricket as well.
| Matches | Innings | Runs | Average | Highest | 50s | 100s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 47 | 69 | 3173 | 54.70 | 163* | 20 | 7 |
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