India all-rounder Rinku Singh missed the team’s training session on Tuesday ahead of their must-win Super 8 clash against Zimbabwe in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.
Rinku has reportedly left the team hotel and travelled to Uttar Pradesh to attend to a medical emergency in his family. According to reports, his father, who is battling fourth-stage liver cancer, has been admitted to a hospital and is currently on ventilator support.
Sources indicated that Rinku, who was absent from the practice session in Chennai, is unlikely to feature in India’s upcoming match against Zimbabwe. His absence could force the team management into a reshuffle, with Sanju Samson emerging as a possible replacement in the playing XI.
Rinku has featured in all of India’s matches in the tournament so far, scoring 24 runs. While the numbers may not fully reflect his impact, he remains a crucial part of the side as a designated finisher in the death overs, apart from being a reliable fielder. His unavailability would be a significant setback, especially in a must-win encounter where team balance will be key.
The left-hander was dismissed for a duck in India’s previous Super 8 match against South Africa, a game in which the defending champions suffered a 76-run defeat. India were bowled out for 111 while chasing 188, after allowing South Africa to recover from 20/3 and post 187/7, powered by a blistering 63 off 35 balls from David Miller.
Following the loss in Ahmedabad, India now needs to win their remaining two Super 8 matches to stay in contention for a semi-final spot.
India are also expected to make at least one more change for the Zimbabwe match, with left-arm spinner Axar Patel likely to return to the XI. Axar was surprisingly left out against South Africa, as the team management opted for Washington Sundar instead.