Ind vs Eng 4th T20I: Indian player set to return to solve middle-order batting issue

While India are getting ready for the upcoming Pune T20I against England, the Indian cricketer is set to return to the format that can resolve India’s struggling middle-order batting status. 

Rinku Singh participated in the first T20I of the ongoing five-match home T20I series against England, where India won the Kolkata T20I by seven wickets after comfortably chasing the 133-run target in 12.5 overs after losing three wickets. Opener Abhishek Sharma’s dominant batting helped the hosts to comfortably chase the low target, and Singh wasn’t required to bat.

Rinku Singh missed next two T20Is

However, the 27-year-old thrashing middle-order batter Rinku Singh, who has a T20I strike rate of 165, missed out on the next two T20Is at Chennai and Rajkot due to back spasms. The Indian batting line-up heavily missed the left-handed batter in the middle-order in both the last two T20Is, where India won by two wickets in Chennai and lost by 26 runs in Rajkot. 

Rinku is fit: Ryan Ten Doeschate

However, the Indian assistant coach Ryan Ten Doeschate confirmed that Rinku Singh is fit for the fourth T20I of the series. Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium (Pune) will host this match on Friday (January 31) night. While India need to win one more match to win the series, England can’t afford another T20I defeat as they have to win both the remaining matches to snatch the away series.

The Indian assistant coach said, "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."

A day before the upcoming Pune T20I, Rinku was trying to reverse lap scoop and reverse pull against the leggie Ravi Bishnoi. The left-handed batter was also comfortable to face the Indian pacers Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Shami, and Harshit Rana. He also worked on taking throwdowns from Raghavendra and Abhishek Nayar.