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'Not Just A Finisher': Aakash Chopra Calls For Rinku Singh's Promotion In India's Batting Order

Akshita Patel

Rinku Singh gets support from Aakash Chopra for batting promotion [Source: @CricCrazyJohns/X.com]Rinku Singh gets support from Aakash Chopra for batting promotion [Source: @CricCrazyJohns/X.com]

After India’s 61-run victory against South Africa, commentator Aakash Chopra called out the unfair decision to demote Rinku Singh to No. 6. In his YouTube video, Chopra said that Rinku shouldn’t be restricted to the finisher role and his promotion is essential to unleash his true abilities as a hitter.

Rinku Singh, one of India’s most explosive hitters in T20 cricket, has been playing as a finisher in India’s batting lineup. He usually comes after Hardik Pandya at no.6, and his batting position stayed the same during India’s first T20I against South Africa, which was held on November 8. 

Despite India getting a comfortable start on the back of Sanju Samson’s century, Rinku was denied an opportunity to score some runs in the middle order. And this decision miffed commentator turned analyst Aakash Chopra.

Aakash Chopra disapproves Rinku at no.6

In his YouTube video, Aakash Chopra revealed that demoting Rinku Singh to no.6 is an unfair choice. He added that when a certain player is in management’s long-term plan, he must receive better opportunities to score runs and gain confidence. He said:

"Are we being fair to Rinku? It's a very important question. Why am I asking this question? You kept him in the team first, he is your original choice player. Whenever you have sent him up the order or he has got to bat in the powerplay, he has scored runs every time," Chopra said.

"He has scored a half-century every time. He has emerged as a crisis man. He scored those half-centuries at very good strike rates. So, this was that opportunity. Why don't you send him at No. 4? What is the reason that you only send Rinku down the order, always at No. 6?" 

Not only that, Chopra underlined how Rinku Singh has scored runs at every position and can be a crisis man in need. He wants Rinku to outgrow his role as a finisher, and a potential promotion to no.4 will definitely serve the purpose.  He added:

"I am asking this question only because Rinku can finish but he is not just a finisher. This is my understanding. I feel he knows how to drive the game. He is hitting sixes but he is not someone who muscles the ball. He is not Andre Russell and he is not Hardik Pandya as well."

“He tries to score runs with timing and then he makes the most of whatever he has. I feel you could have played him at No. 4 in Durban. In fact, you could have done that in this entire series and moved Tilak Varma down because someone has to go at No. 6," he concluded. 

With 3 T20Is still left in the series, Aakash Chopra urged Suryakumar Yadav and co to do some rethinking on Rinku’s spot.