India batter Rinku Singh performed the last rites of his father, Khanchand Singh, who passed away after a long battle with stage-4 liver cancer. Khanchand breathed his last at Yatharth Hospital, where he had been receiving treatment in recent days as his health condition worsened significantly. As soon as he received the tragic news, Rinku travelled from Chennai to his hometown Aligarh to be with his family and carry out the final rituals.
The 28-year-old cricketer appeared deeply emotional while performing the last rites. In a video that quickly circulated on social media, Rinku can be seen wearing a blue cap while carrying his father’s mortal remains on his shoulder, surrounded by tight security and family members who had gathered to pay their final respects.
The heartbreaking moment came while Rinku was part of the Indian squad for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. Earlier in the week, he had briefly travelled home when his father’s condition deteriorated before India’s Super 8 clash against Zimbabwe. After spending time with his family, Rinku returned to Chennai and rejoined the squad.
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However, he was not included in the playing XI for India’s crucial fixture against Zimbabwe. The team management made a few tactical changes for the must-win game, bringing in Sanju Samson and Axar Patel to rebalance the side. Samson was pushed to the top of the order, Ishan Kishan moved slightly down the batting lineup, while Tilak Varma was assigned finishing responsibilities.
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Despite not making the final XI, Rinku stayed with the team and even stepped onto the field as a substitute fielder during the match. So far in the tournament, the hard-hitting batter has played five matches and scored 24 runs, continuing to perform his designated role as a finisher whenever required.
With India scheduled to face the West Indies cricket team in a must-win encounter in Kolkata, uncertainty remains over Rinku’s availability for the remainder of the tournament. As of now, neither the Board of Control for Cricket in India nor the team management has issued an official update regarding his participation.
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Meanwhile, the cricket fraternity has rallied behind the youngster. Former India captain Virat Kohli, along with Shikhar Dhawan and Irfan Pathan, extended heartfelt condolences to Rinku and his family during this difficult time.
