Former cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin has said that India would need a hitter against pacers besides Hardik Pandya at the T20 World Cup and the best fit for the position is Rinku Singh, adding that although Jitesh Sharma is a brilliant hitter of the ball, Rinku is better against pacers.
Rinku was recently sidelined from the T20I series against South Africa but has now been included for the World Cup.
Reacting to Rinku’s inclusion, Ashwin said that with Sanju Samson all set at the top of the order, India needed a batter who could take on pace alongside Pandya, a role in which Rinku fits.
“If Sanju Samson at the top of the order is locked in for you and Ishan Kishan as the backup wicketkeeper is also locked in, then what is left? You need a hitter
against pacers to go along with Hardik,” Ashwin said while speaking on his YouTube channel.
And who can do that better than Rinku Singh? Because when you compare Jitesh Sharma and Rinku Singh, I have gone a bit deeper into the numbers. People can go and check,” Ashwin said.
“Against spin, Jitesh Sharma is a monster hitter, but against pace bowling and towards the end of the innings, Rinku Singh has great numbers, along with pedigree and experience,” Ashwin added.
In the same video, the former cricketer noted that India, all set to co-host the 2026 T20 World Cup alongside Sri Lanka, are firm favourites.
“I have another feeling that with this squad and the way they are playing cricket, it will come down to the day. I think India are firm, firm favourites. The way the squad has been picked and seeing that other teams aren’t picking Varun Chakaravarthy, I am ending up feeling that India will go in not only as firm favourites, but it will take India having a really bad day and a poor start to the tournament for them to face any sort of trouble,” Ashwin said.
