The Board of Control for Cricket in India on Wednesday unveiled the 15-man squad for the five-match T20I series against the West Indies, set to take place in the Caribbean and the USA next month.
Led by newly-appointed Chief Selector Ajit Agarkar, the selection committee granted maiden call-ups to Tilak Varma from Hyderabad and Yashasvi Jaiswal from Mumbai.
Hardik Pandya will continue to captain the team in the shortest format, while senior players Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have been excluded as India focuses on a generational shift, keeping next year's T20 World Cup in mind.
The bowling line-up features leg-spinners Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav and Ravi Bishnoi and fast bowlers Arshdeep Singh, Umran Malik, Avesh Khan and Mukesh Kumar.
Rinku Singh's omission has caused an uproar on social media.
Rinku had a phenomenal season for the Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL 2023, finishing as the team's highest scorer with over 400 runs in 14 games.
'After Playing Unbelievable season in IPL & Domestic Season. Not getting selected in T20 Series vs West Indies. Feeling Sad For Rinku Singh,' one Indian cricket lover wrote.
'Rinku Singh is the only player in history to win TWO matches off the last ball in the same IPL season. He averages 58 in FC and 53 in List- Acricket, they ignored him. Feeling for Rinku Singh. I just hope he isn't another Sarfaraz Khan in Indian circuit,' tweeted another.
'Feel for Rinku Singh. No place in the T20 setup vs West Indies after doing so well in IPL & domestic. Hoping he gets a place very soon,' another commented.
