Team India Provides Big Update On Rinku Singh, Who Left T20 World Cup Camp Ahead Of Zimbabwe Clash Due To Father's Ailment
Star India batter Rinku Singh had rushed back home on Tuesday after his father's health deteriorated.
- India batting coach Sitanshu Kotak provided clarity on the availability of Rinku Singh for the Zimbabwe match
- Rinku left India's camp on Tuesday after a sudden deterioration in his father's health
- "Rinku, his father wasn't well. So he went back. I think he is coming back today (Wednesday) evening": Kotak
Star India batter Rinku Singh will rejoin the Indian team in time for their T20 World Cup 2026 Super 8 encounter against Zimbabwe, batting coach Sitanshu Kotak confirmed on Wednesday. Rinku left India's camp in Chennai and rushed back home on Tuesday evening after his father's health deteriorated. However, Kotak confirmed in the pre-match press conference that Rinku is set to rejoin the team on Wednesday evening, a day ahead of India's match against Zimbabwe on Thursday. Rinku has played all of India's matches so far in the tournament.
According to information available, Rinku Singh's father is suffering from stage-4 liver cancer and is on ventilator support.
Kotak provided clarity on Rinku's availability at the pre-match press conference on Wednesday.
"And Rinku, his father wasn't well. So he went back. I think he is coming back today evening," said Kotak.
Meanwhile, bogged down by top-order brittleness and under pressure after a heavy loss, defending champions India would need every ounce of resilience they can muster when they take on a tricky Zimbabwe in their second Super 8 match of the T20 World Cup 2026 on Thursday. Winning this contest by a big margin is critical to India's existence in the ICC showpiece given the beating their net run rate (-3.80) took after the 76-run defeat to South Africa on Sunday. But for that, India need to fix the issues surrounding the opening and No.3 slots.
Coming into this World Cup, the reigning champions rode on excellence from Ishan Kishan and Abhishek Sharma at the pole position to quell the bilateral challenges against South Africa and New Zealand at home.
But light seems to have gone out of Abhishek's batting after a stomach infection. A combination of dull pitches and off-spinners, who took the ball away from his hitting arc, has reduced the left-hander's firepower.
He is certainly a better batter than his current numbers -- 15 runs from four matches at an average of 3.75 made at a strike-rate of 75.
With PTI inputs
India Cricket Team