Aakash Chopra wonders if the Indian team is being fair to Rinku SIngh by making him bat at the No.6 position after the win against South Africa in the first T20I on November 8, Saturday. Rinku has been a revelation for India since making his debut in the shortest format of the game and has scored 490 runs in 27 matches at an average of 54.44.
However, the 27-year-old hasn’t been getting enough opportunities with the bat in recent times and came into bat into the fag end of the Indian innings. Rinku could score only 11 off 10 balls as India ended up scoring 202 runs. The visitors would win the match by 61 runs, but many wondered if Rinku should be promoted up the order.
SA vs IND, 1st T20I: Full Scorecard
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Chopra said that the southpaw has scored runs whenever he has been sent up the order.
“Are we being fair to Rinku? It’s a very important question. Why am I asking this question? You kept him in the team first, he is your original choice player. He was in your team against Bangladesh and before that as well. Whenever you have sent him up the order or he has got to bat in the powerplay, he has scored runs every time,” said Chopra.
Why don’t you send Rinku at No.4?
Chopra said that Rinku has emerged as a crisis man for India in recent times and the first T20I was a good chance for the team management to send him up the order.
“He has scored a half-century every time. He has emerged as a crisis man. He scored those half-centuries at very good strike rates. So this was that opportunity. Why don’t you send him at No. 4? What is the reason that you only send Rinku down the order, always at No. 6?” said Chopra.
Chopra also claimed that Rinku isn’t just a finisher like Andre Russell and Hardik Pandya and can play up the order.
“I am asking this question only because Rinku can finish, but he is not just a finisher. This is my understanding. I feel he knows how to drive the game. He is hitting sixes but he is not someone who muscles the ball. He is not Andre Russell and he is not Hardik Pandya as well,” said Chopra.
India will be next in action in the 2nd T20I on November 10.
