Rinku Singh Flies Home Due to Family Emergency Ahead of Zimbabwe Clash

India batter Rinku Singh has flown home owing to a family emergency and is a doubt for India’s upcoming T20 World Cup fixture against Zimbabwe on February 26 in Chennai.

Rinku was absent from India’s training session at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Tuesday evening, where the rest of the squad took part in nets practice. His availability for the Zimbabwe encounter now remains uncertain.

The left-hander has endured a difficult campaign so far. He managed scores of 6, 1, 11 not out, and 6 not out during the group stage before registering a duck in India’s 76-run defeat to South Africa in Ahmedabad.

Should Rinku be unavailable, India have a couple of options on the bench. Sanju Samson could come into the side, though his inclusion may require a reshuffle in the batting order. Alternatively, all-rounder Axar Patel could slot in at No. 8 — the position Rinku occupied in the match against South Africa — offering an additional bowling option.

Following the Zimbabwe fixture, India will face West Indies in their final Super Eight match on March 1 in Kolkata. If India advance to the semi-finals, the knockout fixture is scheduled for March 5 in Mumbai. However, if the opponents are Pakistan, the semi-final will instead be played on March 4 in Colombo.

India will be hoping for clarity on Rinku’s situation soon as they prepare for a crucial phase of the tournament.