The Uttar Pradesh (UP) cricketer Rinku Singh replicated his greatest IPL heist against Gujarat Titans in Ahmedabad, this time at the Eden Gardens a month later. During Monday night’s match, KKR required six more runs to secure two additional league points after Andre Russell’s impressive strokeplay in the penultimate over.
However, in keeping with this year’s IPL trend, the final over promised to provide more dramatic moments.
On the fifth delivery, Russell was run out, leaving Rinku to score two runs off the final ball. Arshdeep Singh of PBKS delivered a full toss, and Rinku flicked it to the right of deep backward square leg, resulting in four runs. This win took KKR to the fifth spot in the points table, surpassing RCB, Punjab Kings, and Mumbai Indians.
KKR seems to have found a valuable player in Rinku, an uncapped player who performs well under pressure in finishing games for his team. It has taken Rinku years to establish himself as a reliable player, and not just in the IPL.
The Aligarh batsman has been finishing games since his early cricketing days, indicating his talent and potential. In a recent interview with News18 Cricketnext, Rinku’s coach Masood Uz Zafar Amini revealed that Rinku has been an excellent finisher since his inter-school days.
Amini shared that about 13 years ago, Rinku would regularly visit the sports stadium to watch cricket matches where Amini was coaching. One day, Amini approached Rinku and asked him why he came every day. Rinku responded that he wanted to play cricket.
Amini fondly remembered Rinku’s exceptional performance against the Gujarat Titans last month. He shared that after Rinku hit the first two sixes, he had a strong feeling that Rinku would go for three more. Additionally, Amini disclosed that Rinku had practiced those shots before entering the tournament, which allowed him to execute them with ease during the game.
With Rinku showcasing his exceptional finishing skills in the IPL 2023, there will likely be speculations around his potential call-up to the Indian team. Amini also believes that Rinku is at a stage where he could play for India as well, given his excellent performance and consistency.
“He is at the level where he can represent his country at the highest level,” Rinku’s coach added.