Watch: India's chief selector Ajit Agarkar answers why Rinku Singh was left out of T20 World Cup squad

Ajit Agarkar, the Chairman of selectors for the Indian cricket team, clarified the reasons behind Rinku Singh's omission from the 15-man squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup. Despite Singh's impressive performances, the decision to leave him out was influenced by the need to balance the team with additional bowling options, particularly given the conditions expected in the West Indies and the USA.

Agarkar elaborated on the tough decisions faced by the selection committee, emphasizing that the choice was not a reflection of Singh's capabilities. "It's probably the toughest thing that we have had to discuss. He (Rinku Singh) has done nothing wrong, not Shubman Gill also for that matter. It's again the combinations like Rohit said, we are not quite sure about conditions we'll get. So, we wanted to try and have enough options. There are couple of wrist spinners that were included in the squad - Chahal and Kuldeep, to give Rohit more options. Axar again, batting all-rounder or bowling all-rounder rather. It's just unfortunate. I don't think it has anything to do with Rinku Singh. It's not his fault that he missed out. It's more the 15 that we felt. Two keepers who are both terrific batters. There's already an extra batter sitting out, whoever doesn't play. So, we just thought of having another bowling option might be handy going forward in the tournament. He's still one of the travelling subs that's how close it was. Tough on him but at the end of the day you can only pick 15." Agarkar explained.

The exclusion of Rinku Singh has sparked significant debate among cricket fans and on social media, with many expressing their dissatisfaction with the decision. Singh's current T20I statistics for India, which include an average of 89 and a strike rate of 176, have only fueled the controversy, with fans and analysts questioning the logic behind his exclusion given his high performance levels.

The emotional impact of the selection decision on Singh was revealed by his father, Khanchandra Singh, in an interview with a news channel. He shared that his son was heartbroken upon learning that he was not part of the main squad but only listed among the probables. "He was heartbroken when he got to know that he has only been picked among the probables and not as part of the main squad," his father said.

Critics have pointed to Singh's limited opportunities in the IPL 2024 as a possible reason for his exclusion from the main squad. Despite appearing in 8 innings, Singh faced only 82 deliveries, scoring 123 runs at an average of 20.50 and a strike rate of 150. These limited chances might have contributed to the selectors' decision to place him in the reserves rather than the primary lineup.

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