It was April 1, 2018. Kolkata Knight Riders’ CEO, Venky Mysore, was addressing the media in Kolkata ahead of a new Indian Premier League (IPL) season. The franchise had just parted ways with its most successful captain, Gautam Gambhir, and was looking to rebuild under Dinesh Karthik.
The expectations were high, but a large section of the fans seemed miffed with the choice of its uncapped Indian players: Apoorv Wankhade, Nitish Rana, Ishank Jaggi, and Rinku Singh. While Rana and Jaggi were relatively known names in the domestic circuit, Rinku still hadn’t cemented his place in the Uttar Pradesh state side.
However, the team management seemed quite confident. Halfway through the interaction, Mysore said with a sheepish smile, “People are saying, ‘Where are the names, where are the names?’ You don’t need names here; you need people who are hungry to do well.”
In that edition, Rinku scored 29 runs in four matches, at an average of 7.25. Although the franchise retained him for the next season, Rinku’s returns remained below par—37 runs in five games. Things were about to go from bad to worse after IPL 2019, as he was suspended by the BCCI for three months for featuring in an unauthorised tournament in Abu Dhabi.
Despite facing setbacks, KKR maintained faith in Rinku, who demonstrated resilience upon his return to the domestic season. As he regained form with the Uttar Pradesh team, it took a couple of years for him to truly showcase his capabilities for KKR in the IPL. In the 2022 edition, he amassed 174 runs in seven appearances, offering glimpses of his undeniable talent.
However, the best was yet to come.
In preparation for the last season, Rinku made subtle adjustments to his batting technique while training at the KKR Academy in Mumbai. This refinement proved instrumental, as he emerged as one of the most talked-about batters in the tournament. A standout moment was when he hammered five sixes off Yash Dayal in a last-ball win against Gujarat Titans in a group league fixture. Rinku became a household name, finishing the season with an impressive 474 runs at an average of 59.25 to become the highest scorer for Kolkata Knight Riders. Transforming from a promising rookie, Rinku’s stellar performance propelled him into contention for the Indian team. In a matter of months, he realised his dreams by securing a spot in the Indian team for the tour of Ireland, followed by the Asian Games, where he contributed to the team’s success in earning a gold medal.
Where it all began: Rinku Singh hit five sixes off the last five balls to lead Kolkata Knight Riders to a thrilling three-wicket win over Gujarat Titans in an IPL 2023 match. | Photo Credit: VIJAY SONEJI
Rinku, hailing from Aligarh, has captured attention with his ability to effortlessly hit sixes. With first-choice players rested for the recent T20Is against Australia, Rinku was given a look-in, and he grabbed the opportunity with both hands. While his innings in Visakhapatnam was about winning a last-ball thriller with a six, the second T20I in Thiruvananthapuram saw him smack 31 off just nine deliveries. He kept the momentum going with an exciting 29-ball 46 in Raipur.
With Hardik Pandya playing an anchor’s role of late, the emergence of Rinku could end India’s search for a finisher ahead of the next T20 World Cup. These performances have already secured him a spot in India’s white-ball squad for the South Africa tour.
While Rinku has only played nine T20I games so far, his remarkable average of 87.00 speaks volumes about his impact. Chandrakant Pandit, the head coach of KKR, closely witnessing Rinku’s journey, attributes his standout quality to an indomitable spirit. “I have never seen him under pressure. He seems to like those challenging situations. That’s his character,” Pandit told Sportstar. “He has that consistency in his performance, and no matter what situation you put him in, he has been able to deliver.”
The 2023 IPL, of course, has given him a lot of confidence. “During the camps and the net sessions, he was working hard, and Rinku knew what areas he needed to improve,” Pandit said.
One of the most successful coaches in the domestic circuit, Pandit—or ‘Chandu Sir’ as he is fondly called by his wards—remembers how Rinku would often walk up to him and ask whether he could be sent up the order so that he could get some time to settle in. “That innings against the Gujarat Titans, where he hit five sixes, has given him a lot of confidence. He can turn a game. During one of the games, he walked up to me and said, ‘Why not send me up the order?’ He wanted enough overs so that he could handle the situation better, and that shows his character.
Grabbing with both hands: With first-choice players rested for Australia T20Is, Rinku Singh got an opportune moment to shine. | Photo Credit: AP
“The best thing about Rinku is the fact that he never dwells on the past. He is someone who has the courage to play in a tricky situation and has that self-belief,” Pandit noted.
Rinku’s fearless approach has impressed Pandit, and he hopes the 26-year-old goes on to play ‘consistent cricket’ for the national team as well.
While Rinku blossomed at KKR, under the mentoring of Abhishek Nayar, he made his mark in the domestic circuit, too. Ahead of the last domestic season, Rinku had long discussions with Uttar Pradesh coach and former India wicketkeeper-batter Ajay Ratra. Most of their conversations would revolve around batting and how to handle crunch situations.
“At this level, every player possesses a certain skill set, but it’s about how you execute the plans and approach your game. He’s a keen learner of the game, and more than going into the technicalities, we would speak about how to target a bowler and anchor the game,” Ratra said.
“At the start of the season, he was not accelerating, so he was a bit disappointed. Maybe he was expecting too much from himself, and that was adding to the pressure. But we had regular chats, and I advised him that even in T20s, it is okay to take a few deliveries and settle in before playing his natural game,” says Ratra.
Those suggestions benefited Rinku, as he hammered a 47-ball 79 against Punjab in a Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy fixture a few days later. “That was sort of a comeback for him. Building on from there, Rinku had a good outing in the One-Dayers and Ranji Trophy. So, it was all about backing him and boosting his confidence,” the coach said.
In the dynamic world of cricket, IPL franchises often face criticism for their hire-and-fire approach. However, Rinku’s journey wouldn’t have progressed without the support of KKR. Despite being benched at Kings XI Punjab in 2017, Nayar and other scouts made sure to bring Rinku to KKR.
“The first time I saw him in the KKR setup and spent time with him when he came to Mumbai, he was very shy and a guy with very low self-belief,” Nayar, the KKR assistant coach, had said during a conversation earlier. “He always has this ability to work hard, listen, and learn; he has always been hungry to learn.”
And it’s this hunger that kept him going. Even when he underwent knee surgery, Rinku did not lose hope. “Kudos to KKR management and everyone involved in terms of backing him, and a lot of credit goes to Rinku for working hard on his game and achieving what he is achieving today,” Nayar had said.
Just like his last-ball sixes, Rinku’s journey remains adventurous. Without dwelling over the past, he takes things in his stride and plays fearlessly in the trickiest of situations.
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