India Vs Ireland 2023: Good News For Rinku Singh, Kolkata Knight Riders Batter And Ruturaj Gaikwad To Be Called Up For T20I Series

According to a report, the BCCI selectors need to try out a larger group of players keeping in mind the Asian Games later this year.

Photo: BCCI/IPL

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) selection committee led by new chairman of selector Ajit Agarkar have announced the squad for the five T20I matches against West Indies earlier this week. A couple of big names missing from the list were Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Uttar Pradesh batter Rinku Singh and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) opener Ruturaj Gaikwad.

Indian cricket fans were shocked especially at Rinku Singh’s non-selection after his sensational performances in the IPL 2023. Gaikwad, who was the second highest run-scorer of CSK in IPL 2023, was picked for the two-match Test series against West Indies beginning next week but was ignored for the T20I series.

However, there is some good news for both Rinku Singh and Ruturaj Gaikwad as according to a newspaper report, both cricketers are set to be picked for the three-match T20I series against Ireland next month. According to the Indian Express newspaper, both Rinku Singh and Ruturaj Gaikwad will be flying to Ireland for the three T20I games to be place on August 18, 20 and 23.

The selectors are keen on trying out a larger group of players with an eye on Asian Games 2023, which will also feature cricket this year. “Rinku and other players who did well in the IPL will fly to Ireland as the selection committee doesn’t want to try everyone at one stage. There are seven players of the Indian ODI team who are not going to play T20 as those players are key for us going ahead as they will be playing Asia Cup in late August,” a BCCI source was quoted as saying by Indian Express newspaper.

Rinku Singh's time will come sooner_

— Irfan Pathan (@IrfanPathan) July 5, 2023

According to the report, with the Asian Games line-up in mind, the selection committee decided to try players on a phase by phase basis. “The BCCI selection committee has asked the board to have more India ‘A’ tours going ahead and fringe players will be tried there before being given a rope in the senior Indian team. The BCCI is in talks with a few boards to have ‘A’ tours,” the report read.

The selection for the West Indies T20I series was the first meeting attended by chairman of selector Ajit Agarkar. The selection committee picked Yashasvi Jaiswal and Tilak Varma for the T20I squad.

Meanwhile, Rinku Singh was the highest run-getter for KKR in IPL 2023 – scoring 474 runs in 14 matches at an average of 59.25 with 4 fifties and a strike-rate of 149.52.