'Bring in Rinku' - Sunil Gavaskar wants India to drop star batter from IND vs NZ T20 World Cup 2026 final

The T20 World Cup 2026 final will feature India facing New Zealand on Sunday, March 8, at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Both teams have prepared rigorously for this match, and neither should be underestimated. However, debate surrounds India's playing XI for the final, as Abhishek Sharma and Varun Chakravarthy's underwhelming performances have sparked concern. Consequently, many experts advocate dropping both, while others continue to support them.

Sunil Gavaskar has also given important suggestions regarding India's playing XI for the final match. Gavaskar wants Abhishek Sharma, an out-of-form opener, to be dropped and Rinku Singh to be played in the title match against New Zealand.

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Abhishek's performance in the T20 World Cup 2026 has been quite disappointing, as he has scored only 89 runs in seven innings so far, including three ducks. Abhishek is facing significant difficulties against off-spinners.

"It's a very tough call. Abhishek Sharma is the No. 1 batter in the ICC T20 rankings, but he hasn't learned from his dismissals. He keeps getting out in the same region where his arms are cramped for room. Bowlers are targeting that area and forcing mistakes. My concern is that he either hasn't adjusted yet or is unable to change his approach." On the eve of the IND vs NZ final, Sunil Gavaskar said on India Today.

Sunil Gavaskar wants India to include Rinku Singh

Considering Abhishek's poor form, the former Indian opener has urged Team India to include Rinku Singh in the playing XI. He said,

"I would like to see Ishan Kishan open the batting with Sanju Samson, with Rinku Singh coming into the side. Rinku has that belief—you've probably seen the 'God's Plan' tattoo on his body—and sometimes things just work out for players like him."

If Abhishek Sharma is replaced by Rinku Singh, India will have to open with Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan. Rinku will be seen playing as a finisher. However, he hasn't done much in the current tournament either and has scored 24 runs in five innings with an average of eight and a strike rate of 82.75.

Sunil Gavaskar has also suggested dropping spinner Varun Chakravarthy, as his confidence appears to be low. Gavaskar wants Kuldeep Yadav to play in the final. Whether India takes the risk of making two major changes in the final remains to be seen.