Rinku Singh Cleared for Fourth T20I as India Eyes Series Win Against England

PUNE, India — Indian men’s assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate confirmed Thursday that Rinku Singh is fit to play in the fourth T20I against England in Pune after recovering from back spasms. The aggressive lower-order batter missed the second and third matches of the series due to the injury but has been cleared to return following extensive net practice.

Rinku, who played the first match in Kolkata, batted confidently in the nets on the eve of the fourth game, executing audacious shots against spinners and pacers alike. He also took throwdowns from specialist Raghavendra and assistant coach Abhishek Nayar. “Rinku is fit. He played the first game, hurt himself, and missed the next two. But I would imagine Rinku comes back in as soon as he’s proper fit. He batted the other night, and I think he’ll be ready to go tomorrow,” ten Doeschate said during the pre-match press conference.

The return of Rinku could provide India with a much-needed boost in the middle order. After a promising start to his international career, Rinku has had limited opportunities to make an impact in recent months. His inclusion would likely see wicketkeeper-batter Dhruv Jurel, who has struggled with scores of 4 and 2 in the series, make way.

Jurel’s placement at number eight in the batting order has drawn criticism, with experts questioning the strategy of maintaining a left-hand-right-hand combination in the middle order. Ten Doeschate defended the tactic, citing head coach Gautam Gambhir’s preference for such setups. “You could argue that we don’t want Dhruv Jurel batting at number 8. But I also think if you look at the blueprint of any of Gambhir’s teams that he has coached since he’s been coaching T20 cricket, it is a big part of how he likes to set up,” ten Doeschate explained.

India currently leads the five-match series 2-1 after losing the third T20I. The team will look to secure the series in the fourth game, with Rinku’s return adding depth to their batting lineup.

In another development, India all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy has been ruled out of the remainder of the series due to injury. Reddy, who played in the series opener without batting or bowling, was part of India’s squad for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia, where he played all five Tests. Former India batter Aakash Chopra suggested that Reddy’s workload might have contributed to his injury. “Reddy is injured. He has been ruled out of the entire series. When you start playing international cricket, the workload is different. He played five Tests in Australia, batted, and bowled a little. It takes a toll,” Chopra said.

India has called up a replacement for Reddy, though the name has not been disclosed. The team will aim to bounce back from their loss in the third T20I and clinch the series in Pune.