Former Pakistan spinner Danish Kaneria has stirred up a debate by suggesting that Rinku Singh should have been part of India’s T20 World Cup squad instead of Hardik Pandya. The KKR finisher was named as a reserve player in India’s 15-member squad for the marquee event.
Kaneria argues that the combination of Rinku and Shivam Dube would have been a formidable force for India’s lower-order batting. He pointed out Hardik’s inconsistency in the ongoing IPL 2024 as a reason for his exclusion.
“As far as Rinku Singh is concerned, I also feel that he should have been a part of India’s T20 World Cup squad. If I take the ongoing IPL’s performances into consideration, then Hardik Pandya should have been the one to miss out. He hasn’t showed any consistency at all,” Kaneria told Times Now.
“You already have Shivam Dube who has been doing well for CSK. Overall, the squad looks good, but Rinku and Dube would have been a powerful combination for India down the order,” he added.
A BCCI source, however, attributed Rinku’s exclusion to the Impact Player Rule, suggesting that Hardik’s all-round capabilities outweighed his poor form. “No doubt, Rinku paid the price for the Impact Player Rule. He is plain and simple unlucky. Hardik might be in poor form, but he is still India’s best seam bowling all-rounder, and it would have been a risk dropping him considering he is the only one who has bowled,” the source told PTI.
As the T20 World Cup approaches, the debate surrounding India’s squad selection continues to intensify, with Kaneria’s comments adding fuel to the fire.
