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Rinku Singh scored an unbeaten 118 to rescue Uttar Pradesh after a major batting collapse against Goa in their Ranji Trophy Elite Group A match in Kanpur on October 18, 2026. The left-hander’s 186-ball innings, featuring 11 fours and two sixes, was his second consecutive century of the 2026–27 season and renewed discussion among fans about his absence from India’s current international plans.
Uttar Pradesh struggled against Goa’s attack, losing wickets regularly and slipping to 137 for nine. Rinku held one end together while partners fell around him, then found valuable support from No. 11 Vansh Chaudhary. Their 65-run last-wicket stand lifted Uttar Pradesh to 202 before the innings ended.
The innings was notable for its context as much as its score. Rinku’s unbeaten 118 accounted for a substantial share of the team total, while the lower order was unable to provide sustained support. His ability to manage the innings through a collapse underlined a different side of his batting from the finishing role in which many international viewers know him.
Match reports said the century came after Rinku had made 112 against Bihar in Uttar Pradesh’s opening fixture. Two hundreds in his first two innings of the new Ranji season gave him a strong start in red-ball cricket, where consistency over long spells and the ability to bat with the tail are important tests.
Rinku’s back-to-back hundreds prompted reactions from fans who questioned why he has not been included in India’s current plans. The debate is being driven by his recent first-class output and by the view among some supporters that he should receive an opportunity in the longer format. Those reactions reflect public opinion, not a confirmed explanation from the selectors.
Selection for India’s Test side depends on more than recent runs alone. Team balance, batting positions, competition for places, and the selectors’ assessment of role and conditions all influence decisions. Rinku’s Ranji performances strengthen his case for consideration, but they do not establish that a call-up is imminent or that the selection panel has made a particular judgment about him.
His domestic record is also a reminder that a player’s strengths can extend beyond the format in which he first became widely known. Rinku has built a reputation as a T20 finisher, but consecutive Ranji centuries show that he can also produce substantial innings in first-class cricket. The challenge for him is to sustain that output across the season and convert individual performances into a broader body of evidence.
- 118 not out: Rinku’s score against Goa on October 18, 2026.
- 186 balls: Deliveries faced during the innings.
- 11 fours and two sixes: Boundaries in the unbeaten century.
- 137 for nine: Uttar Pradesh’s position before the final-wicket recovery.
- 65 runs: The partnership between Rinku and Vansh Chaudhary for the tenth wicket.
- 112: Rinku’s score against Bihar in the opening match of the season.
Uttar Pradesh will look to build on Rinku’s contribution as the match against Goa progresses. For Rinku, the immediate priority is to maintain his form through the Ranji season and continue making runs in different match situations. Further centuries would add to the evidence available to selectors, but no selection decision should be assumed from the current performances alone.
For domestic cricket followers, his innings is another example of the Ranji Trophy’s role as a platform for players to make a case through sustained performance. The response to Rinku’s latest hundred also shows how quickly strong domestic results can reopen discussion about national selection. The performance is clear; the eventual selection outcome remains undecided.
