T20 World Cup 2024: Rinku Singh's father opens up on son's exclusion, says, ‘had brought sweets and crackers…’

Indian player Rinku Singh at a warm-up session at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, in Bengaluru, Sunday, Dec. 3, 2023. (PTI Photo/Shailendra Bhojak)

Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on 30 April announced the Indian squad for T20 World Cup 2024.

Apart from the inclusion of Shivam Dube, Sanju Samson, Rishabh Pant, and Arshdeep Singh, BCCI also named Hardik Pandya as vice captain of the team.

But, among the surprises, Rinku Singh and Shubman Gill’s names were not present in the final 15. They are on the list of reserves with Khaleel Ahmed and Avesh Khan.

Meanwhile, ahead of the announcement, Rinku Singh was quite confident that he would be selected in the main squad and even told his parents too. His father – Khanchandra Singh – mentioned that they even crackers and sweets to celebrate the occasion.

While speaking to Bharat 24, his father said, “We had a lot of hope that he will be named in the squad. We had brought sweets and crackers as well as we felt he will be a part of the eleven. Uska to dil toota hai aisi baat nai hai (it is not that he is heartbroken). He spoke to his mother and said that while he is not named in the 15, he is in the 18 and is going (to the T20 World Cup).”

India T20 World Cup 2024 Squad:

Rohit Sharma (C), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant (WK), Sanju Samson (WK), Hardik Pandya (VC), Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj

While Rinku Singh misses the spot in the Final 15, he has been named as one of the reserves. He is on the list of reserves that include players like Shubman Gill, Khaleel Ahmed and Avesh Khan.