Left-handed batter Rinku Singh strengthened his case for an India comeback with back-to-back centuries in the 2026–27 Ranji Trophy season. The Uttar Pradesh batter scored an unbeaten 100 against Goa after hitting 112 against Bihar in his previous match of the ongoing tournament.

He has established himself as a dependable middle-order batter and finisher in limited-overs cricket. However, his omission from India’s T20I squad for the upcoming New Zealand series has raised questions. The five-match T20I series is scheduled to begin on October 22 in Christchurch.

Rinku Singh Rescues Uttar Pradesh With Unbeaten Century Against Goa

Uttar Pradesh won the toss and chose to bat against Goa but lost three wickets for 33 runs by the 14th over. Abhishek Goswami fell for five, captain Aryan Juyal was dismissed leg-before, and Karan Sharma was run out for a duck. Rinku Singh arrived at the crease with his team under pressure.

He steadied the innings with Madhav Kaushik, who scored 45, in a 58-run partnership. However, Kaushik’s dismissal triggered another collapse. Uttar Pradesh lost six wickets for just 47 runs, slipping from 90/3 to 137/9 as Aaradhya Yadav, Zeeshan Ansari, Kartik Yadav, Kartik Tyagi and Yash Dayal departed in quick succession.

With only No. 11 batter Vansh Chaudhary for company, the left-hander took charge of the innings. He scored most of the runs in an unbroken 47-run stand for the 10th wicket, helping Uttar Pradesh reach 184/9. He remained unbeaten on 100 off 155 balls, hitting 10 fours and two sixes at a strike rate of 64.52.

Rinku Singh's Century Against Bihar in Ranji Trophy Opener

Rinku Singh began his 2026-27 Ranji Trophy campaign with a century against Bihar. He came to the crease when Uttar Pradesh were struggling at 85/3 on a challenging, moist red-soil pitch and helped turn the innings around.

He shared a 207-run fourth-wicket partnership with Madhav Kaushik, who scored 150. The left-hander made 112 off 168 balls, including eight fours and three sixes, to register his 10th first-class century. Their partnership laid the foundation for Uttar Pradesh to post 540 in the first innings.

Uttar Pradesh went on to defeat Bihar by an innings and 267 runs. Madhav Kaushik won the Player of the Match award for his 150 runs in the first innings.

Why Was Rinku Singh Left Out Of India’s T20I Squad?

The Board of Control for Cricket in India announced India’s T20I squad for the New Zealand series on October 6, but Rinku Singh was left out. His omission has renewed discussion about who should fill the finisher’s role in the team.

The BCCI’s announcement did not specify why the selectors left him out. Shivam Dube and Axar Patel offer left-handed batting options and can contribute with the ball, giving the team greater flexibility in the middle order.

The selection of two additional wicketkeeper-batters has also increased competition for batting places. Meanwhile, Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s return and the presence of young fast bowlers have further shaped the squad’s balance.

India had only a short break after the rain-affected Bengaluru T20I on October 17, making travel and workload management additional considerations for the team management.