Rinku Singh Named Vice-Captain as Patidar Opts Out of Rising Stars Asia Cup
Rinku Singh named vice-captain of India A for the ACC Rising Stars Asia Cup after Rajat Patidar withdrew due to injury.
In a significant shake-up to the India A squad, the BCCI has announced that Rinku Singh will now serve as the vice-captain for the upcoming Rising Stars Asia Cup. This decision comes after Rajat Patidar withdrew from the team, citing the need to manage existing injury concerns.
Injury Blow for Rajat Patidar
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) revealed on Sunday that Rajat Patidar has communicated his unavailability for the 50-over format. Patidar informed the board that he should not be considered for selection at this time as he focuses on recovering and managing his current injuries. Consequently, he has been officially withdrawn from the India A squad.
New Leadership and Squad Addition
Following Patidar's exit, the Men's Selection Committee acted swiftly to reorganize the leadership. Rinku Singh has been elevated to the role of vice-captain, stepping up to support the team captain, Tilak Varma. Additionally, Ayush Badoni has been brought into the squad as a direct replacement for Patidar.
"Rajat Patidar has communicated to the BCCI that he should not be considered for selection in the 50-over format as he manages his existing injuries. Accordingly, he has been withdrawn from the India A squad for the ACC Rising Stars Asia Cup. The Men’s Selection Committee has named Rinku Singh as vice-captain, while Ayush Badoni has been added to the squad in Patidar’s place," the BCCI stated in a media release.
The Road to the Final
India A finds itself in a challenging Group B, where they will face off against Pakistan A, Nepal, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Meanwhile, Group A consists of Afghanistan A, Sri Lanka A, Bangladesh A, and Hong Kong, China.
The tournament structure dictates that the top two teams from each group will advance to the semi-finals. These crucial knockout matches are scheduled for November 26 and 27, leading up to the grand final on November 29.
Updated India A Squad
The 15-member squad, now led by Tilak Varma and Rinku Singh, features a blend of explosive talent and promising youngsters:
- Tilak Varma (Captain)
- Rinku Singh (Vice-Captain)
- Abhishek Sharma
- Vaibhav Sooryavanshi
- Prabhsimran Singh (WK)
- Kumar Kushagra (WK)
- Suryansh Shedge
- Shahbaz Ahmed
- Vipraj Nigam
- Harsh Dubey
- Tanush Kotian
- Harshit Rana
- Prince Yadav
- Arshad Khan
- Ayush Badoni