T20 World Cup 2024: Sourav Ganguly defends Rohit Sharma, Ajit Agarkar's decision to drop Rinku Singh

Former BCCI president Sourav Ganguly opened up about Rinku Singh's omission from the Indian squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2024 in the West Indies and USA. Sourav Ganguly stated that Rinku Singh's exclusion was a tactical decision by the selectors, considering the pitches in the ICC tournament.

Rinku Singh failed to make it to the World Cup squad despite impressive performances for India in limited opportunities. The left-handed batter has played a finishing role for India in shorter formats. Rinku has scored 356 runs in 15 T20Is at an exceptional average of 89 and a striking rate of 176.24.

The selection committee, led by Ajit Agarkar, opted for four spin bowlers, including two all-rounders, in the squad. Chief Selector Ajit Agarkar clarified that Rinku Singh's exclusion was not due to his performance. Agarkar stated that the team wanted an additional bowling option for the World Cup.

However, Rinku Singh has been part of the reserve list for the prestigious tournament. The Uttar Pradesh-born cricketer can be added to the team if any batter suffers an injury. It's worth mentioning that the team can make changes to their preliminary squad until May 25, as per ICC guidelines.

The Wickets May Be Slow Assist Spin - Sourav Ganguly

Speaking at the Trophy unveiling ceremony of the Bengal Pro T20 League, Sourav Ganguly stated that Rinku Singh's omission was influenced by the conditions in the West Indies, where slow pitches favor spin.

"It's West Indies. The wickets may be slow and assist spin so they (selectors) wanted to go with another spinner. Maybe because of that Rinku didn't get an opportunity but it's just the beginning for Rinku," Ganguly said.

India is placed in Group A along with the USA, Pakistan, Ireland, and Canada. They will kick off their World Cup campaign against Ireland in New York on June 5. The Men in Blue will play all four group stage matches in the USA. The Super Eight and knockout matches will be played in the Caribbean Islands.

Rohit Sharma and Rahul Dravid Will Pick The Best - Sourav Ganguly

Sourav Ganguly anticipated that India and Australia would be the frontrunners in the upcoming tournament. Ganguly praised the Indian squad's quality, stating that all 15 players are match-winners. He stated that Rohit Sharma and Rahul Dravid would make the best selections.

"India and Australia the two best teams of the tournament. I'm sure they will do the same thing in the USA and the West Indies," Ganguly added.

"It's a fabulous squad, they are all match winners. All 15 are good enough to be selected, I'm sure Rohit (Sharma) and Rahul (Dravid) will pick the best," he further stated.

India's squad for the 2024 T20 World Cup: Rohit Sharma (captain), Hardik Pandya (vice-captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant (wk), Sanju Samson (wk), Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj

Reserves: Shubman Gill, Rinku Singh, Khaleel Ahmed, Avesh Khan

Also read: MI vs SRH: "Tension in their team atmosphere" - Graeme Smith reveals Mumbai Indians' dressing room scenes