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CHENNAI: India batter Rinku Singh has returned home owing to a family emergency, casting serious doubt over his availability for the upcoming Super Eight fixture against Zimbabwe on February 26 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium.
Rinku was notably absent from India’s training session at the Chepauk on Tuesday evening, while the rest of the squad went through their preparations ahead of the must-win encounter.
The left-hander has endured a difficult campaign in the ongoing ICC T20 World Cup 2026 so far, managing scores of 6, 1, 11* and 6 not out during the group stage.
His struggles continued in the Super Eight clash against South Africa in Ahmedabad, where he was dismissed for a two-ball duck in India’s 76-run defeat.
With the defending champions under pressure to stay alive in the tournament, Rinku’s potential absence adds another layer of concern.
India are currently in a position where they must win both of their remaining Super Eight matches to strengthen their case for a semi-final berth.
If Rinku is ruled out for the Zimbabwe game, India have a couple of options on the bench.
Sanju Samson could come into the XI, though his inclusion would likely trigger a reshuffle in the batting order. Alternatively, Axar Patel can slot in at number eight, the position Rinku occupied in the previous outing.
Following the Zimbabwe fixture, India will conclude their Super Eight campaign against the West Indies in Kolkata on March 1.
Should they progress to the knockout stage, their semi-final is scheduled for March 5 in Mumbai. However, if they are drawn against Pakistan, the match will instead take place a day earlier in Colombo.
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