New Delhi, April 29: Krishnamachari Srikkanth, the former India opener and chief selector, said left-handed hard-hitting batter Rinku Singh has to be a certainty in the 15-member India squad for the upcoming Men’s T20 World Cup.

Rinku shot to the limelight with five sixes on last five balls of the Kolkata Knight Riders’ innings against Gujarat Titans in IPL 2023, a season where he continuously showed his finishing skills. He made his India T20I debut later in the year and amassed 356 runs in 15 games, staying not out in seven of them at a high strike rate of 176.23.

With the KKR top order doing bulk of scoring so far for the side in IPL 2024, Rinku hasn’t got much time to bat, making 112 in eight matches at a strike-rate of 157.74. "A classic example is Rinku Singh. Rinku Singh is a certainty in my 15. He hasn't got that many opportunities to bat in the IPL but you see his international track record, it's an amazing track record. Amazing track record in South Africa and with every opportunity he has got. So Rinku Singh has to be a certainty in the 15."

"But if we go by recent form or opportunities, he hasn't got enough opportunities. End of the day you've to forget who the player is and look at what is his track record. Is he a great player, is a deadly player, is he fit? So Rinku Singh has to be a certainty, he has to get the Visa and he will fasten his seat belt to take the flight to the United States to play the game as one of the 15 members in the side," said Srikkanth, who was the chief selector of India’s 2011 World Cup winning teams, on ‘Ticket to World Cup’ episode of Star Sports Press Room Show.

Matthew Hayden, the former Australia batter, believes IPL has brought out some a lot of Indian talent to the fore, who are now being talked about in selection race of the upcoming Men’s T20 World Cup. "I tell you it's a true credit to the IPL, that it gets so much headspace in terms of selection, for international cricket.

"It's a testimony to how brilliant the competition is and it's also a credit to the way the IPL has allowed it's foreign players, to play and strengthen the tournament. I'm not sure there's another across T20 cricket that's equal. How good is it, because we have found Jaiswal and he's just one of the many like Rinku who have been discovered by IPL cricket."

India, the 2007 edition winners, will begin their Men's T20 World Cup campaign in June 5 against Ireland at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York. They are slotted in Group A alongside Pakistan, Canada and tournament co-hosts USA.

(IANS)

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