Rinku Singh set to return for India against Zimbabwe? India Coach gives huge Update

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India's middle-order batter Rinku Singh is poised to rejoin the national team in Chennai on Wednesday evening, February 25, 2026, just in time for their crucial Super 8 clash against Zimbabwe at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Thursday.

This update comes from India's batting coach Sitanshu Kotak during a pre-match press conference. Rinku had stepped away from the squad temporarily to attend to a serious family emergency.

Reports indicate that his father, Khanchand Singh, has been battling stage-4 liver cancer for over a year, with his condition recently worsening significantly-he is currently on ventilator support in a hospital in Greater Noida. The emotional toll led Rinku to rush home on Tuesday, February 24, missing India's training session at Chepauk that evening.

This absence initially sparked concerns about his availability for the high-stakes Zimbabwe encounter.

"Rinku, his father wasn't well, so he went back. And I think he is coming back this evening. So, hopefully he will be back this evening," said Kotak at the pre-match press conference on Wednesday.

The left-handed batter had arrived in Chennai with the team on Monday, February 23, following India's recent Super 8 defeat to South Africa in Ahmedabad, where they suffered a heavy 76-run loss that damaged their net run rate and intensified pressure to bounce back.

Rinku has featured in all five of India's matches so far in the T20 World Cup 2026 but has struggled for consistency, accumulating only 24 runs across those games. His scores include a duck against South Africa, 6 against the Netherlands, 11* against Pakistan, 1 against Namibia, and 6 against the USA.

His underwhelming form has been a point of discussion, yet his finishing prowess, famously demonstrated in past T20Is, makes his potential return timely as India seek momentum in the Super 8 stage. Despite not participating in the team's four-hour training session on the eve of the Zimbabwe match, the batting coach's confirmation suggests Rinku should be available for selection.

India and Zimbabwe are both in must-win territory and a defeat would almost put them on the brink of elimination in this T20 World Cup.