India batting coach Sitanshu Kotak has confirmed that middle-order batter Rinku Singh will rejoin the squad on Wednesday evening ahead of the must-win Super Eights clash against Zimbabwe at the M A Chidambaram Stadium on Thursday.
Rinku, who has featured in all of India’s matches so far in the ongoing T20 World Cup, had left the team hotel on Tuesday to travel to Uttar Pradesh after his father, who is battling liver cancer, was admitted to hospital and placed on ventilator support. He did not attend the team’s practice session on Tuesday.
Addressing a press conference, Kotak said, “Rinku’s father wasn’t well. So he went back. I think he is coming back this evening.”
India are also weighing changes to the playing XI following their 76-run loss to South Africa, with wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson emerging as a possible inclusion for the Zimbabwe fixture.
“There can be changes, yes. We are discussing everything because we have two left-handers as openers and a left-hander at number three, and the opposition also has an off-spinner,” Kotak said.
“Since we lost wickets in the first over in the last three games, any team would think about changes. We never decide the team too early, and it’s not fair to reveal plans in advance, but yes, there are definitely thoughts about it.”
Samson, in particular, drew attention during Tuesday’s practice session. With Abhishek Sharma struggling at the top of the order and Ishan Kishan not providing favourable match-ups against off-spinners, the team management is understood to be considering a reshuffle to break the left-handed cluster in the top order.
When asked if the net session suggested Samson would play against Zimbabwe, Kotak said, “Sometimes he wants to do some drills, but I don’t think net sessions give any indications. But, definitely, there will be thoughts about playing him.”
(IANS)
