India’s interim skipper KL Rahul has given a major hint that Rinku Singh is very likely to make his ODI debut in the upcoming ODI series against South Africa.
Rinku Singh has had a breakthrough year in which he shined for KKR in IPL 2023 and followed it up with impressive performances in his dozen T20I matches for India. Rinku Singh, now is likely to make his ODI debut in the 3-match ODI series against the Proteas.
India have picked a second-string ODI squad, handing maiden ODI call-ups to Sai Sudharsan, Rinku Singh and Rajat Patidar.
On the eve of the first ODI at the Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg, KL Rahul, the interim skipper for the ODI series, all but confirmed that Rinku will make his ODI debut in this series.
Rahul said: “What has been good to see is the temperament and game awareness that he (Rinku) has shown in the T20I series. He has shown how good a player he has been. We have seen the calmness. That has been very refreshing for me to see as well on the television. He has performed really well across formats in first-class cricket. He will get his opportunity even in the ODI series.”
Rinku Singh has brilliant List-A numbers
In 50 List-A innings, the left-hander averages 49 with a strike rate of 93, cracking 1 century and 17 fifties.
While Rinku is in line to make his ODI debut, Sanju Samson will be making his return to the ODI side. While KL Rahul said he will continue to do wicket-keeping as he did in the World Cup, Sanju will bat in the middle-order.
India ODI squad:
Ruturaj Gaikwad, Sai Sudharsan, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (C)(wk), Sanju Samson (wk), Axar Patel, Mukesh Kumar, Avesh Khan, Arshdeep Singh, Deepak Chahar, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Tilak Varma, Rajat Patidar, Rinku Singh
