T20 series: Will Rinku Singh be tried as an opener against Bangladesh?

It’s such a new look Indian team which will take on Bangladesh in the upcoming T20I series from Sunday that barring Abhishek Sharma, none of the other usual suspects are there for the opener’s slot. This has prompted a school of thought if Rinku Singh, the finisher whose snub from the T20 World Cup squad had created quite a stir, can be used at the top of the order.

Sounds too radical a role for someone who forced his way into national reckoning with an extraordinary IPL 2023 season as a finisher for Kolkata Knight Riders? Such an idea also junks the model of right-left combination as Abhishek is also a southpaw but then, new head coach Gautam Gambhir is not averse to taking risks. In fact, it was Gambhir as the then KKR captain who dared sending in Sunil Narine as an opener back in 2017 for his pinch-hitting abilities.

A decision like this won’t be easy though at the international level, especially since Rinku – despite having a penchant for playing cricketing shots – has never really opened the batting in any of the formats. In the last Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy for UP, he batted higher up the order but his usual spot for the Knights had been at number six or seven, where he was left under-utilised in the 2024 season for no fault of his.

Batting too low?

In the 16 games for KKR who went to be the champions, Rinku batted just 11 times, either wrapping up a comfortable chase or putting cameo finishing touches at the death overs. He batted at No 6 or below on seven occasions and was not required in the knockouts.

This is where Saba Karim, a former India wicketkeeper and national selector, feels that Rinku will be a good option to open the batting for India along with Abhishek Sharma.

‘’There is a strong possibility that we may see Rinku Singh along with Abhishek Sharma (open for India). Whatever opportunities Rinku has had so far in this side, he comes in number six or seven and he hardly gets any balls to get himself in... Rinku, mind you, is quite a complete player. If he gets more opportunities, if he gets more deliveries to face, he can add more value to the side. So there is a strong possibility of having that combination,’’ Saba told the official broadcasters.

Despite the squad opening up opportunities to a number of Young Turks like Abhishek, Riyan Parag, Harshit Rana, wicketkeeper Jitesh Sharma or fiery paceman Mayank Yadav – the series is also a baby step for a transitional phase of the T20 squad for the next World T20 in India in two years’ time.  

There should, hence, be a method in the madness and there could be a case for Sanju Samson at the top of the order. In a long IPL career, the flamboyant Samson has scored 559 runs as an opener for Rajasthan Royals and Delhi Daredevils with three fifties and a strike rate of 135. It’s however questionable whether Samson can continue to be a regular feature in this format should Rishabh Pant, rested ahead of the Test series against New Zealand, makes a comeback.  

Meanwhile, mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy, another KKR matchwinner, got a recall after three years since his nightmarish T20 World Cup campaign in the UAE in 2021. Nitish Reddy, the back-up seamer allrounder after senior pro Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dube, also got a look-in after he missed out on the recent Zimbabwe tour owing to an injury.

India's squad for Bangladesh T20Is: Suryakumar Yadav (C), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (wk), Rinku Singh, Hardik Pandya, Riyan Parag, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Shivam Dube, Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Varun Chakaravarthy, JItesh Sharma (wk), Arshdeep Singh, Harshit Rana, Mayank Yadav.