India T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav did not say much when asked about Rinku Singh's exclusion from the squad for the upcoming five-match T20I series against South Africa. The latter hasn't been able to find his footing in the playing XI in the past few T20I series and has barely got any game-time. With the team management preferring all-rounders over him, the 28-year-old has spent most of his time on the bench.
When asked about Rinku's exclusion from the squad, Suryakumar remained tight lipped and did not reveal much about the team's combination for the upcoming assignment.
“He is an all-rounder, so he and Hardik are the all-rounders. So you cannot compare an all-rounder with someone who is a finisher. Who? Dube is another one. And the thing is, all the batters from three to seven are capable of batting at any position. So it depends on what the batter’s entry point is. We have to be really flexible during that. And also, in terms of the squad, before us, you already get to know what the squad will look like or not, but yes, more likely this is what the team and the squad look like. It looks good, looks strong, so I am very happy with it,” Suryakumar said in the pre-match press-conference.
Suryakumar on Shubman and Hardik's condition
On the other hand, Suryakumar also provided a major update on both Shubman Gill and Hardik Pandya ahead of the South Africa T20Is. He said that both the players are looking fit during the press-conference.
"Both [Gill and Pandya] are looking healthy and fit," Suryakumar told reporters.
Suryakumar's praise for Hardik
Finally, Suryakumar also lavished praise on Hardik, who is set to make a comeback after two months. He had sustained a quadriceps injury before the Asia Cup final and this saw him miss multiple important assignments in international cricket. The all-rounder recently made his return to competitive cricket and played a match-winning knock of 77* for Baroda and carried them to victory over Punjab in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.
“Hardik Pandya opens up a lot of options and combinations. His experience is invaluable. He has done well in major tournaments. His presence will give a good balance to the side,” Suryakumar stated.