India’s stand-in captain KL Rahul has said that Rinku Singh has performed really well across formats in first-class cricket and he will get his opportunity in the ODI series against South Africa. Singh, however, was not picked in India’s final XI for the first ODI on Sunday against the Proteas despite consistent performances in the T20I series.
Singh scored a fine knock of 68 runs off just 39 balls with the help of nine fours and two sixes against South Africa in the second T20I at St George’s Park, Gqeberha.
The southpaw has done a fine job while playing for the Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL. The left-hander has scored 725 runs in 31 IPL matches at an average of 36.25 and a strike rate of 142.16.
Meanwhile, the 26-year-old has performed consistently in the domestic circuit. The Uttar Pradesh batter has scored 3007 runs in 42 first-class matches at an impressive average of 57.82. Furthermore, he has amassed 1844 runs in 55 List A matches at a fine average of 49.83. Thus, Singh deserves his chances in all three formats of the game.
Singh has already scored 262 runs in 12 T20I matches at an outstanding average of 65.50 and a whirlwind strike rate of 180.68.
“He (Rinku Singh) has shown what a really good player he is. Watching him in the IPL, we all knew that he’s very skilled. But what’s been really good is the temperament he has shown in the T20I series and the game awareness and calmness that he has shown under pressure. That has been very refreshing for me to see on television. I just spoke to him about that as well. He has performed really well across formats in first-class cricket. So, yes, he will get his opportunity even in the ODI series,” Rahul said in the pre-match press conference.
India Playing XI for the first ODI against South Africa: KL Rahul(w/c), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Sai Sudharsan, Shreyas Iyer, Tilak Varma, Sanju Samson, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Avesh Khan, Kuldeep Yadav, Mukesh Kumar.
South African skipper Aiden Markram has won the toss and has decided to bat first.
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