IND vs NZ: Rinku Singh has sealed his spot in the India playing XI?
Former India opener Aakash Chopra has questioned the way Rinku Singh is being used in India’s batting lineup, even after the left-hander delivered a valuable performance against New Zealand in the first T20 International. Chopra felt that despite Rinku’s proven ability to finish innings and change the course of a game in a short span, the team management is yet to fully optimise his role in the batting order. His comments came after India registered a convincing victory over the Blackcaps in the series opener. Following a disappointing ODI series loss, the Men in Blue responded emphatically in the T20I format, producing a dominant all-round display to defeat New Zealand by 48 runs.
IND vs NZ: Rinku Singh deserves to play the T20 World Cup 2026
After being asked to bat first, India’s batters put on a relentless show, piling up a massive total of 238 runs in their allotted 20 overs. The aggressive intent was evident throughout the innings, with contributions coming from multiple players. Rinku Singh played a key role in providing a strong finish, once again showcasing his hitting prowess in the death overs. Batting in the lower middle order, he scored a brisk 44 off just 20 balls, striking the ball cleanly and consistently finding the boundary. Despite the impact of his knock, Chopra believes India need to reassess Rinku’s batting position to extract maximum value from his skill set.
Despite Rinku Singh’s impressive performance, Aakash Chopra has questioned the left-hander’s current batting position in the Indian lineup. Chopra believes that Rinku should not be restricted to the role of a designated finisher, arguing that his skill set allows him to contribute far more if given additional time at the crease. According to the former opener, Rinku possesses the technique, temperament, and shot selection required to handle the middle overs and build meaningful partnerships, rather than being limited to brief cameos at the end of an innings.
Chopra feels that consistently sending Rinku in during the final few overs reduces his overall impact and does not fully utilize his ability to adapt to different match situations. He suggested that promoting Rinku up the order could help India add stability as well as firepower, allowing the left-hander to influence games more regularly and develop into a complete T20 batter rather than being pigeonholed into a single role.
"In my opinion, you give Rinku Singh a chance too low in the batting order. He is your designated finisher, but should he be your designated finisher? You should ask that question for sure because, although he got to play more balls this time, many times 18-odd balls are left when the finisher gets the chance to play," stated former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra.
While acknowledging Rinku Singh’s value as a selfless team player, Aakash Chopra pointed out that the left-hander is not the kind of batter who can always start hitting from the very first ball he faces. The former India opener stressed that Rinku’s strength lies in settling at the crease, reading the game situation, and then accelerating once he has spent some time in the middle. According to Chopra, this trait makes it important for the team management to give Rinku enough deliveries to get into rhythm, rather than exposing him only to high-pressure situations with limited balls to play.
Chopra also highlighted how Rinku’s approach paid off in the first T20I against New Zealand. Despite coming in towards the latter stages of the innings, the 28-year-old showed composure before launching a late assault. His standout moment came in the final over of the Indian innings, when he smashed 20 runs off Daryl Mitchell, significantly boosting India’s total. That burst of runs proved crucial in helping India reach a massive score, which ultimately put the match out of New Zealand’s reach. The commentator believes this innings further underlined Rinku’s importance, while also reinforcing the argument that he would be even more effective if allowed to bat higher up the order and spend more time at the crease.
"When 18-odd balls are left, he would get eight to 10 balls. Is he someone who can hit a six from the first ball? He does everything that he can do and a little more, he tries to do more than what is in his control, he gives his 100 percent, but if you want the best from him, give him a few more overs," Chopra added.
