IPL 2024 Rinku Singh: Amidst all the chatter about the IPL transfers, there was the India-Australia game in Tyu Anantapuram, the second T20 international in the five-match series. While India won the match comprehensively by 44 runs, there were quite a few talking points as far as this young Indian T20 team is concerned.
To start with, there are notable absentees like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Hardik Pandya. These are big shoes to fill. On top of that, there is one eye on the T20 World Cup next year, where Team India is looking to bury the ghost of their ICC tournament failures. So, who are the ones to look out for when we speak about the future?
Let’s focus on one such player, a man who has made a huge impact with his batting display and his general demeanor – Rinku Singh. Before we talk about what this man has done and the potential he has shown, let’s take you back to an Indian Premier League game earlier this year.
The Kolkata Knight Riders were facing the Gujarat Titans in Ahmedabad. KKR needed 28 runs off the last five balls, nearly impossible on most days. The pressure was on Rinku, who hadn’t really made a big splash in the IPL till then. But what does Rinku do next? He goes ahead and smashes the bowler for five consecutive sixes. That’s right, he gets 30 runs in five deliveries and saves KKR from the jaws of defeat.
Following this game, cricket fans really stood up and took notice of Rinku Singh. He emerged as one of the biggest finds of IPL 2023, scoring 474 runs in 14 games at a strike rate of almost 150, the highest by any KKR batter that season. Truly an impact player for whom the IPL became the stage he announced himself.
Rinku Singh comes from a very small, modest background. Born in a small city in India’s northern state of Uttar Pradesh, his father worked at an LPG distribution company. But nothing stopped young Rinku from chasing his dreams. He announced himself in the domestic circuit playing for his home state of Uttar Pradesh and eventually ended up being picked up in the IPL auction.
But let’s look beyond the IPL. What makes Rinku Singh stand out? Firstly, the fact that he doesn’t seem to be that one-game wonder. When you watch him bat and speak about his performance, you can see his determination. He wants to be in the mix for the long haul.
Soon after the IPL, he made his way into the Indian T20 squad and played his debut match against Ireland. In just four T20 innings, he has batted for India and has made quite a mark, scoring 128 runs in 59 balls so far. Rinku Singh looks to be firmly in contention for that coveted finisher role heading into the T20 World Cup next year.
One unique selling point of Rinku Singh is his ability to take the game deep, hit sixes at will, and put the pressure back on the bowling side. He does all of these with utmost ease, confidence, calmness, and of course, swagger. Truly tailor-made as a finisher for the shortest format.
Some of his teammates even compare him to the legend that is MS Dhoni. While it’s too early to make instant comparisons between Rinku Singh and Dhoni, the parallels are hard to ignore. Dhoni has been an inspiring figure for so many youngsters, and Rinku Singh seems to have a similar composure and attitude.
Rinku Singh himself has credited Dhoni for his calmness and has chatted with him to pick his brains and understand what he does in the final overs. The advice was crystal clear from Dhoni – stay calm and look to hit the ball straight. You can see that in Rinku Singh’s approach and his attitude.
So, can Rinku Singh flourish in that finisher’s role in the big games going forward, and that too consistently? One can safely say that we haven’t quite seen the last of Rinku Singh’s fireworks with the bat.