Khanchandra Singh, the father of Indian batter Rinku Singh, passed away in the early hours of Friday morning after a prolonged battle with Stage 4 liver cancer. He was 58.
He had been admitted to Yatharth Hospital in Greater Noida and was on ventilator support for the past few days. Former India spinner Harbhajan Singh confirmed the news on social media, offering his condolences to the grieving family.
The Man Who Made It All Possible
To most cricket fans, Rinku Singh is the finisher who can hit sixes at will. But behind that rise was a father who spent decades delivering LPG cylinders on the streets of Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh, so his son could chase a dream.
Even after Rinku became a regular in the Indian team, Khanchandra continued working — quietly, without complaint. That image of him going about his daily rounds became one of cricket’s most quietly moving stories. Fans never forgot it.
Duty and Grief, All at Once
The circumstances surrounding his father’s death make this loss even harder to process.
Rinku is currently part of India’s squad for the 2026 T20 World Cup. When his father’s condition turned critical earlier this week, he rushed from the team’s base in Chennai to be by his side. Days later, showing extraordinary strength of character, he returned to the squad ahead of India’s Super 8 match against Zimbabwe on February 26.
He did not play in the starting XI that day, but he was there — on the field as a substitute fielder — fulfilling his national duties while his father lay in hospital hundreds of kilometres away.
‘He Carried the Weight of a Dream’
Tributes have been pouring in from across the cricket community.
Harbhajan Singh wrote on X:
“Pained to learn about the demise of Shri Khanchand Singh Ji. This must be an especially difficult time for Rinku and his family, even as he remains committed to his responsibilities during the T20 World Cup.”
On social media, fans have been resharing the now-iconic video of Khanchandra delivering cylinders, with many calling him the man who “carried the weight of a dream on his shoulders until his son could fly.”
What Happens Next
Rinku is expected to travel to Aligarh today for the last rites. Whether he will be available for India’s next match against the West Indies on March 1 is yet to be confirmed by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
For now, the entire country stands with him.
Om Shanti.
