India batting coach Sitanshu Kotak gave a major update on Rinku Singh‘s availability for the T20 World Cup 2026 Super 8 game against Zimbabwe. India find themselves in a must-win situation in their second Super 8 game after losing to South Africa by 76 runs on Sunday in Ahmedabad.
Two days before India’s match against Zimbabwe at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, Rinku was absent from India’s first training session. News agency PTI reported that he had left the Indian camp for New Delhi on Tuesday due to a family emergency, as his father was unwell.
While it felt that Rinku’s absence left the management with a selection headache, Kotak, on Wednesday, in the pre-match press conference in Chennai, confirmed that Rinku is expected to join the camp before the start of the match.
“And Rinku, his father wasn’t well so he went back and I think he is coming back today evening. So, hopefully he will be back today evening,” he said.
This would mean that India’s only selection conundrum will pertain to the spin unit: whether they need an extra specialist spinner in Kuldeep Yadav and whether vice-captain Axar Patel will return to the XI in place of Washington Sundar.
Axar’s return will be a no-brainer. He had missed out the game against South Africa because the management reckoned Sundar would be a better tactical fit against the three left-handed batters. But Zimbabwe have five right-handed batters in their top 7, implying Axar will be a better choice in the match.
As for Kuldeep’s selection, it will either come at the expense of a fast bowler, Arshdeep Singh, as in the playing XI that featured in the match against Pakistan, or in place of specialist batter Rinku.
Kotak also acknowledged pressure on India ahead of the must-win match, but expressed confidence in his side’s ability to handle the crunch situation.
“See obviously, World Cup in India, there will be pressure and a lot of expectations. I am a big believer that any international game you play, you will feel pressure. And this is a big pressure game, obviously, when you are representing a country,” Kotak said.
