There is little doubt over Rinku Singh being one of the greatest T20 finishers in the world. He has also made his ODI debut. And in the Indian domestic season of 2024/25, eyes will be on him for another reason.

“When I see him bat in nets, I can't find any technical reasons why Rinku cannot be a successful Test batter. I understand he has made his name as a terrific finisher in T20 cricket but if you look at his first-class record, he is averaging in high 50s. He is also blessed with a very calm temperament. So all these factors indicate that if given an opportunity, he can develop into a Test cricketer.”

One can see where Vikram Rathour, in one of his first interviews after his stint as India’s batting coach got over, was coming from. After 47 games, Rinku has 3,173 runs in first-class cricket at 54.70. That average may not match Yashasvi Jaiswal’s 75.60 or Sarfaraz Khan’s 68.53, but it is still exceptional.

In fact, with a 3,000-run cut-off, Rinku has the second-best batting average among active Indian cricketers, after Sarfaraz (Jaiswal is still not there). However, there is a caveat.

As is evident, the ten retired cricketers motley crew consists of four all-time great Indian batters (Merchant, Hazare, Tendulkar, Dravid); one with a reasonable Test career (Manjrekar); two one-Test wonders (Ajay, Karim); three uncapped (in Tests) cricketers (Sugwekar, Bhave, Rinku); and one who debuted earlier this year (Sarfaraz).

Thus, there is little evidence – either way – to a great first-class career converting into exceptional Test numbers. It does not work in Rinku’s favour that his numbers have tailed off of late, and have, in fact, gone worse as he rose through the ranks – though one may argue that his stints in the Duleep Trophy and for India A are essentially small samples.

It is not difficult to spot the asterisks in Rinku’s remarkable first-class career. Add to that the facts that Jaiswal, Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, and Virat Kohli are likely to bat in the top four in the near future, and India play five bowlers along with the wicketkeeper. That leaves Rinku competing with KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, and Sarfaraz, among others, for the eleventh spot.

What makes it even more difficult for Rinku is the Indian selectors’ reluctance to consider specialist batters once they turn a certain age. In the 21st century, only five – S Badrinath, Shikhar Dhawan, Mayank Agarwal, Suryakumar Yadav, Rajat Patidar – have debuted after 27. Of them, Badrinath, Surya, and Patidar were injury replacements. Rinku is about to turn 27.

How can Rinku make it to the Test team?

Rinku has been in the selectors’ radar for some time now. He was picked to play unofficial ‘Tests’ for India A in 2019, and had only himself to blame for getting suspended. The India A call-up finally came in early 2024 when the England Lions came on a shadow tour of India along with their Test side. Before that, he was also seen fielding as a substitute during the 2023/24 South Africa Tests despite officially not being named in the squad.

It is important to understand India’s regimented selection procedure when it comes to Test cricket. Barring the pandemic and the years following it, when India A matches became sporadic, the selectors have invariably used India A as the most important parameter.

It was evident in early 2024 as well, during the England series. When Kohli opted out of the Tests, Patidar leapfrogged Sarfaraz on the back of stunning performances against England Lions. Sarfaraz responded with a hundred, and was called up as soon as there was a vacancy. Devdutt Padikkal joined him soon afterwards. With scores of 0, 0, 38, Rinku was left behind.

Their entire first-class careers did not matter. If it had, both Sarfaraz and Rinku would have pipped Patidar, and Rinku would also have been selected ahead of Padikkal. What mattered was that, once the cricketers made the India A cut, they proved themselves at that level. That selection procedure is unlikely to change.

Rinku’s best bet, thus, it to keep scoring runs at every level he gets opportunities in to keep qualifying for the next. And once he gets that India A break, he has to keep scoring and hope for a position to open up in the main team.

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