Mohammad Kaif opens up on Rinku Singh’s exclusion from IND vs SA 2025 T20Is, says he had to make way for Hardik Pandya

Former Indian batter Mohammad Kaif said Rinku Singh’s exclusion was on the cards after Hardik Pandya was picked for the five-match T20I series against South Africa. Pandya was out of action with a left quadricep injury and he underwent rehabilitation at the COE. The all-rounder recently scored a match-winning knock of 77 runs for Baroda against Punjab in the ongoing Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.

Meanwhile, Rinku Singh was part of India’s squad in the Asia Cup. The left-hander replaced Hardik Pandya in the summit clash against Pakistan and hit the winning runs for the team. Singh was part of the five-match T20I series against Australia but didn’t get his opportunity in the final XI.

“There is no one you could have removed with Hardik coming back. Sanju Samson in India during the World Cup will be solid. Jitesh has come in now. Even in the Asia Cup, Rinku did not play all the games. He was not in your XI anyway. The bowlers are doing well. There are many all-rounders. There was only one player who could have made way for Hardik to come in, and that was Rinku. There is no other reason. Rinku may feel it is unfair, but I am with the selectors here. Who else will you drop really?” Mohammad Kaif said on his YouTube channel.

Kaif said Rinku Singh’s time will come and backed the UP batter to play all formats for India.

“Rinku’s time will come. Take it from me, he will be an all-format player for India in the future. You will see him playing all formats after two years.”

Rinku Singh has played two ODIs and 35 T20Is for India.

India squad for T20I series against South Africa: Suryakumar Yadav (c), Shubman Gill (vc), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Sanju Samson (wk), Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakaravarthy, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Washington Sundar